THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES SERMONS O N Several Subjeds. By 7 O H N F I S H E R, A. M. Late Vicar of St. Lawrence in the City of Exon ; and of Colyton in the County of DEVON. SHERBORNE: Printed by WILLIAM BETTINSONJ and Sold by E. SCORE at Exeter. M.&CC.XLI, .:> T- fl O D ni wdJfi^ 6/1^373)1 dliS : , -V -mVvi^ . o)F.-b& bluodi I modv/^pj If: TO THE 33X Right Reverend Father in GOD, ~ STEPHEN, By Divine PermiiHon, Lord Bifhop of Exeter. MY LORD, | AV ING been prevailed upon by my Friends to fend a Vo- lume of my dear deceased Hu- band's Sermons to the Prels, I could not long deliberate with myfelf to whom I mould addrefs them. The Favours you conferr'd upon the Au- thor of them, when alive, and the gra- cious Continuance of your Kindnefs to myfelf fince his Death, under the ftrait Circumftances wherein I was left, would not let me think of any one but Your Lordlhip. Some of the Sermons were, I know, preach'd before Your Lordfriip, and met with your Approbation. Had they come immediately from the Author, they would very probably have appeared in a better Dreis. A i But 850SGI DEDICATION. But fuch as they are, I moft humbly beg your Acceptance of, them, as a Te- ftimony of the grateful Senfe I bear, and ever {hall retain of Your Lord {hip's Good- nefs. If the Advantage arifing from the Pub- lication of them, does not, thro* an un- lucky Concurrence of Circumftances, an- fwer the Hopes I have been made to en- tertain, I {hall however have this Satif- faction (which I can affbre you is to me no fmall one) that Thave hereby an Op- portunity of acknowledging in the nioft publick Manner the many Obligations I have to Your Lordftiip. That God in his good Providence would long continue Your Lordlhip among us, both as an Ornament of that Church over which you prefide, and a moft generous Patron of the Diftreis'd, is, my Lord, the moft fincere and ardent Prayer of Tour LORDSHIP'* MoJ dutiful, Iftoft obedient^ and moft cibligd, Humble Servant, S. FISHER. THE Subfcribers Names. A. MR. Edward Addicot of Exon. Rev. Mr. Allifon, Archdeacon of Cornwall. Dr. Andrew of Exon, 2 Books. Rev. Mr. George Anftis, Vicar of Colyton. Harry Anftis of London, Gent. Peter Athaws of London, Merchant. Mr. John Atkins of South Wineford, Devon, 2 Books. Rev. Dr. Atwell, Prebendary of Gloucefter. Mrs. Aurthur. B. Rev.Mr.Baker,Canon Refidentiary of St. Peter's,Exon. Mr. Banbury. Mr. Barnard, A. M. Redor of Whiteftone. Mr. Barnett of Wadham College, Oxon. Mr. Will. Barter, Reaor of St. Edmond's, Exon. Mr. Thomas Bate. Mr. Humphry Bawden. Mr. Charles Bedford of Launcefton. Mr. Billington. Mr. Chancellor Blackall. Mr. Bradford of Poltimore. Mr. Bofwell of Tatton. Mr. Brent of Plymouth. Mr. Breton, Re&or of Weflon in Herefordlhire. Mr. Hugh Brice of Netherbury, Dorfet. Mr. John Brice. Mr. Brier. Mr. Brown, Vicar of Taviftoke. Mr. Burnaford, Retor of Bridiftow. Dr. Bulkely of London. Mr. Jofeph Burddl. Madam Baker. William Bampfield, Efq; of Borcomb, Devon. Mr. Barker of London, 2 Books. Barlow of Plymouth. Thomas Barren of Newton. Collector of Barum, Richard Bawden. The Subfcribers Names. Mr. Bealy of Plymouth. Richard Beavis, Efq; of Clift-houfe, Devon. Mr. John Beed of Colyton. John Bely of Bridgwater. Mrs. Bettys of Excn. Bickleigh. Blackall. Mr. Thomas Blackmore of Bifliops Nymet. Thomas Blackmore of Exon. Nicholas Blake, Mayor of Exon. Boton, Sen. of Plymouth. Boughton, Jun. 2 Books. Bradford of Exon. Francis Bryan Samuel Brice of Briftol, Merchant. Mrs. Grace Brice. Mr. Francis Broadleigh of Bridgwater. Gregory Bridgman of Exon. Brown of Exon. Tobias Brown. Hartlory Brudenell. George Buck, Efq; of Biddeford. Peter Buck, Efq; of Chichefter. Mr. John Bufton of Exon, 2 Books. C. The Hon. Sir William Courtenay, Bart. 6 Boob. The Hon. Mr. Coventry. The Hon. Mrs. Anne-Sophia Courtenay. Rev. Mr. John Carwithen of Crediton. Mr. John Gary. Mr. Peter Churchill, Vicar of Bockerell. ' Mr. Henry Churchill,Retor of Morchard Bifhop. Mr. Ezra Cleaveland, Rector of Honiton. Mr. Cocking. Dr.Cockman,Mafter of Univerfity College,Oxon. Dr. Coney of Bath, 12 Books. Mr. Ed. Coppleton, Redor of Tcdburn St. Mary. Mr. Coftard of Wadham College, Oxon. Dr. Coftard of Exon. Mr. Coftard. Mr. Crawford, Reftor of Egglefhill. Dr. Creed, Prebendary of Wells. Mr. Otho Cannon. John Carthew. Mrs. Percilia Champion, Mrs. Mary Cheefeman. Mr. Chute of Exon. . The Siibfcribers Names. Mr. Nicholas Clap of Colyton. Peter Clarke of Exon. John Cock, Efq; Mr. Cockings of Exon. Mrs. Cockman of Coventry. Minherd Colchefter, Efq; of Weftbury, Glo'fterfliire. Mr. Colley. Philip Collins of Plymouth. William Collins of Exon. John Colfworthy of Exon. Conon. James CofTerat of Exon. Abraham Cofierat. Mrs. Jane Cofierat. Mr. Richard Couch of Exon. Lewis Courtall.. Mrs. Cicily Cox of Bridgwater. Mr. Crew, Colkaor of the Port of Exon. Jofeph Crew, Efq; Mr. Matthias Crews of London. Previl Crofs, Efq; of Exon. Mr. Cumb of Exon. John Cummins of Bifhops Teington. $ Peter Cummins, Efq; Mr. Peter Cummins of Exon. D. The Right Hon. the Lord Deerhurft. Sir Francis Drake, Bart. Lady Drake of Am. Rev. Mr. Daddow, ReSorofSt. Jufl, Cornwall. Mr. Daddo. Mr. Dally. Mrs. Dadworthy. John Davis of Topmam. Davis of London. Mrs. Catherine Daw. Mr. Alderman Dewdney of Exon, Nathaniel Dewdney, Efq; William Downham, Efq; . Mr. Thomas Drake of Colyton. Mrs. Mary Duck of Ottery St. Mary. Mr. John Dunce of Exeter. Philip Dacie, Grocer in Exeter. Robert Dacie, Upholfterer. Right Rev. Stephen Lord Bifhop of Exeter 6 Books. Rev. Mr. John Eveleigh, Jun. The Subfcriliers Names* Mr. Ellas Eaftaway of Exon. Mrs. Anne Edwards of Exon. Richard Elliot Efq; Cornwall. Mr. Stephen Elmer of Farnham. Charles Eveleigh, Efq; Mrs. Anne Eveleigh. Mr. John Evererd of Bridgwater. Rev. Mr. Furfman,Chancellor of the Church of Exon. Mr. George Fender of St. Stephen's, Exon. Mr. Fincher. Mr. Thomas Fifher. Mr. Ford of Northieigh, Devon. Mr. Fortefcue ot Exon. Mr. Freke, Re&or of Clanaborough. Dr. Fynes. Mrs. Anne Forfter, Exon. Mr. Bafil Forfter, London. John Fortefcue. Forward, Attorney at Law, Axminfter. Ralph Freke, Efq; of Hanington in Wilts. Mr. Fryer. Mrs. Fulford. Mr. Thomas Furlong. .:; :*..> .!.. Rev. Dr. Gilbert Dean of Exeter. Mr. Archdeacon Grant, jo Books. Mr. William Gater. ,tfu Mr. Gay. .Mr. Gilbard, Curate of TivertorL Mr. John Gculd, Redor of Farway. . Mr. Thomas Greene. Mr. Granger, Re&or of Crewys Morchard. Mr. Tho. Greenway, Mafter of Ufculm School. Mr. George Greenway. Mr. Griffiths. Mr. John Gale of Exon. Philip Gandy of Exon. Mrs. Gard of Honiton. ;>\ Mr. Peter Gay. Nicholas Geare. Abraham Gelberd.. Gibbs, Efq;. II :.. : Mr. GifFord of Exon. Mrs. Gilberd of Exon. John Glanvil, Efq; of Cornwall. Mr. John Good of Colyton, fhe Subferibers Names. Mr. Robert Gould of Exoti. Francis Gregory Efq; of Cornwall. Mrs. Dorothy Gregor. Mr. Grift of Bath. H. Rev. Mr. Will. Hambly, Rector of St. Ive, Cornwall. Mr. Arthur Harris, Reftor of Cheriton. Mr. John Harris.L.L.B. Reftor of Weft Ogwelh Mr. Arthur Heaie Curate of Sidbury; Mr. John Heath, Re&or of Saridford. Mr. Hedges, Reclor of Kelly. Mr. Hellier, Curate of Shiveoke, Cornwall. Dr. Herring. Mr. Hicks, Vicar of Whitechurch. Mr. Hole of Romans Leigh. Mr. Holfworth of Dartmouth. Mr. Nicholas Hofkyn of Boynton, Cornwall; Mr. Thomas Hurrell of Bearalfton. Mrs. Martha Haine. Mr. William Hall. Richard Hallett, Efq; of Statcomb. Mr. William Hallett. Mrs. Ham of Widhays, Devon. Mrs. Han of Exon. Mr. Harding of Farnham. Mrs. Rachel Harris; Mrs. Hartnell. Mr. John Hawker of Farnham. John Harvy of Exon. Richard Headon of Lefkeard, Cornwall.- Thomas Heath, Efq; Benjamin Heath* Efq; Mr. Robert Hendry of Exon; Jonathan Herd of Exon. Thomas Herd of Exon. Herring of Plymouth, 2 Books; John Herring. Herring. Francis Hill, Efq; Cornwall. Mrs. Joan Hill of Exeter. Hippefby, Efq; Mr. William Hobs. Mrs. Mary Hooker. Mr. Richard Hole of Exon. Rev. Mr, JefFery, Vicar of Linkinnorri, The Sulfcrilers Names. Rev. Mr. Iferby, Reftor of St. Michael. Mr. Jones. Mr. Henry Jackman of Exon. Mrs. Mary James of Bridgwater. Bartholomew Jeffry, Efq; Mr. John Jenkins of Chichefter. Mrs. Katherine Ilbert, Widow. Mr. Nicholas Inwardleigh. Benjamin Johnfon of Exon. Mrs. Sarah Joyce. K. Rev. Mr. Archdeacon Kendall, 4 Books. Mrs. Elizabeth King. Mr. Richard King of Topftiam. Robert King of Exon. L. Rev. Dr. Lifle, Archdeacon of Canterbury, 10 Books. Mr. William Lavers, Reftor of Woodleigh. Mr. Lee, Rector of Lemoren. Mr. Lee of Dolton, 2 Books. Dr. Lombard. Mr. Lucke, Schoolmafter in Barum. Mr. John Lacy of Farnham. William Lane of Mitchel-Dean. Lany. Edward Laremore of Ogiham. Jofeph Lee of Cheliea. Humphry Leigh. Ley of Exon. William Limbrey. William Limbry of Exon, 3 Books. John Line of Lefkeard. Samuel Lob of Bath, 12 Books. Dennis Looke of Hingham, Gloucefterfhire. Jacob Lovelace of Exon. Lloyd of Exon. Lucas of Colyton. Mrs. Lucas of Colyton. Mrs. Elizabeth Lucas of Londoa. Mr. William Luke. Mrs. J^utterell of Dunfter Caftle in Somerfetfhire. M. Rev. Mr. Mapowder. Mr. Minifee. Mr. Mitchell. Mr. Moore of Bridgwater. Mr. Morrifon, Re&or of High Bickington* fhe Sttbfcribers Nams. Rev. Mr. Mudge of Plymouth, 10 Books. Mrs. Marlton, London. Lucretia Marchant, Bridgwater. Mr. George Marfhal of Ogiham. Mrs. Martin. Mr. Nicholas Medland of Exon. Peter Menhear of Exon. Hugh Mill. William Moore of Bridgwater. William Morfhead, Efq; at Courtwhear, Cornwall. John Moyle, Efq; of Cornwall. Mrs. Mufgrave of Exon. N. Rev. Dr. Newcome, Dean of Gloucefter. Mr. Newte, Re6lor of Tiverton. Mr. John Nankervell. Nankervell of St. Ifley, Cornwall. William Neale of Bedford, Exon. Mrs. Mary Newcomb, Mr. John Newman of Chichefter. Thomas Nibert. Abraham Nicolfon, Exon. Mrs. Northmore. O. Mr. Jofeph Othelenge. William Oxenham, Efq; of New-houfe. P. Rev. Mr. Paddon, Re&or of Exford. Mr. Palmer of Combrawleigh. Mr. Peters, 2 Books. Mr. Henry Pengelly. Mr. Penrofe. Mr. William Penwerre of Lefkeard. Mr. Pefter of Axminfter. Mr. Petvin, Reclor of Iflington, 2 Books. Mr. Henry Phillips. Mr. Pilking of Chriftchurch, Oxford, 2 Books. Mr. Pitman. Mr. Prowfe, Vicar of Dowlis. Mr. John Patch of Exon. John Patrage of Exon. Mrs. Mary Pearce of Exon. Mr. William Peckee of Farnham. Mrs. Mary Pierce. Mr. Penny of Exon. John Perham of Plymouth. Perry. The Subfcriber s Nantes. Mr. Herman Pitt of Exon. Sir William Pole, Bart, of Shute. Lady Pole. Mr. William Pofon of London. George Potebury of Exon. William Poultny of Farnham. Edmund Prideaux, fq; Mr. Daniel Pring of Exon. Thomas Pring. William Pyne of Alphington, Efq; 2 Books. Mr. Robert Pyne of Farnham. R. Rev. Mr. Radford, Reftqr of Lapford. Mr. Rake. Mr. Reading, Library-Keeper of Sion-College. Mr. Benjamin Reed. /!/> Dr. Rennell, Re&or of Drews-Teignton. Mr. Renolds, Canon Refidentiary of St. Peter's, Exon, 2 Books. Mr. William Renolds. Jofeph Richards, A. M. Redor of Combintinhead. Mr. Roberts of Mitchel-Dean. Mr. Roberts of Exon. Mr. James Row, Re&or of Ideford. Charles Raymond, Efq; of Exmouth. Mr. Richards, 3 Books. William Roberts of Jacobftow. Robert Richards of Lefkeard. Robinfon of Plymouth. William Rodd, Efq;" of Exon. John Rolle, fq; Henry Rolle, Efq; Michael Rufiell, Dodor of Phyfick. o. Rev.Dr.StephenSjCanonRefidentiary of St.Peter's,Exon Mr. Salmon, Vicar of Milton. Mr. Sandford, Reclor of Aldermanbury. Mr. W. Salter, Redor of Muibury. Mr. John Salter, Re&or of Stoke-fleming. Mr. Snow, Reclor of Ditiham. Mr. Somafter of Tiverton. Mr. Somafter Rector of Widworthy. Mr. Southcomb, Rector of.Rofe Afh, Devon. Mr. Steed, Vicar of Barum. Mr. Sutton, Rector of Mical Carys. Mr. Sweet. Thomas Sanding, Ef and to depart from Evil is Under/landing. 22 SERMON III. JOB iv. 17. Shall mortal Man be more jujl than God? Shall a Man be more pure than his Maker ? 41 SERMON IV. GEN. iii. xv. And I will put Enmity between thet and the Woman, and between thy Seed and her Seed', it faall bruife thy Headland thoujhalt bruife his Heel. 59 SERMON V. ACTS ii. 27. Becaufe thou wilt not leave my Soul in Hell, neither wilt thou fuffer thy Holy One to fee Cor- ruption. 78 SERMON VI. MATT. x. 34. Think not that I am come to fend Peace on Earth > 1 came not to fend Peace, but a Sword. 104 SERMON VII. ROM. iii. 31. Do we then make -void the Law through Faith ? God forbid ; yea t we ejlablijh the Law. 131 SERMON VIII. 2 PET. ii. 19. While they promt fe them Liberty they them/elves are the Servants of Corruption, 159 c p O , K.- ** V-.-iT ** The C O N T E N T S. SERMON IX. i*ilov. iii. 27. Withhold not Good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the Po$uer of thine Hand to do it. Page 190 SERMON X. ECCJ.ES. vii. IO. Say not thou, JVhat is ilx Caufe that the former Days were better than thefe ? For thou do/I not enquire wifely concerning this. 209 S'E R M O N XL GE V. iv. 10. And be faid, What hajl thou done ? The Voice of thy Brother's Blood crieth unto me from the Ground. 242 SERMON XII. ACTS xxiv. 25. As he reafoned of Right eoufnefs, and V -ftmiptrencc, and Judgment to come, Felix trembled, . and anfwered, Go thy Way for this Time, when I have a convenient Sea/on I will call for thee. 259 SERMON XIII. xxiv. 1 6. And herein do I exercife my f elf, to have always a Conference void of Offence towards God end towards Man. 275 SERMON XIV. % TlM. iv. 7, 8. / have fought a good Fight, I have jinijh'd my Courfe, I have kept the Faith : Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Right eoufnefs, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, Jhall give me Day. 294 SERMON XV. ACTS viii. Part of the 3ift Verfe. Andhr. faid, Hott tan I, except feme Man Jhould guide me? 309 SERMON I PSALM civ. ^^. O Lord, ho7ts manifold are tloy Works \ in Wifdom haft thou made them all. HAT there is a God, is aPropofi- SERM. tion that carries with it fuch a I. felf-evident demonftrative Truth, that to endeavour to prove it would be as needlels an Undertaking, as that of a certain Philofbpher, who fought out Ar- guments to prove his own Exiftence. It is the Foundation of all Truth ; the great Hinge on which Religion turns ; and upon the Certainty of it all moral Obligations de- pend, as likewife the univerfal Law of Na- ture, and the eternal and neceffaiy Diffe- rences and Relations of Things. For God is the Original of all Things, without a Sup- pofition of whole Being there is not any A Thing 4 SERMONS on SERM. Thing whatfbever that cam poflibly be ac- counted for ; for if we could fuppoie God not to be, we could never fuppofe the Pof- fibility of any thing elfe. And yet, not- withftanding this, there are many obdurate Men, \vho have abandoned Virtue, and are become Slaves to Vice ; who are Chriftians in Profeffion, and Atheifts in Pradice ; whofe Intereft and Advantage it is, that there fhould be no God, nor Judge of hu- man Actions j that would willingly cheat themfelves into a Denial of this Truth, if they could do it with any tolerable Decen- cy. Tho' 'tis very ftrange, how any one, who is endued with Reafbn,' and has Eyes to look abroad into the World, to fee the Hand of God in all his Works, and trace the Footfteps of Providence, can doubt of the Exiftence of that Being, whom Nature proclaims in all her Works for the mvifible things of him from the Creation of the World are dearly fsen y being nnderjlood by the Things that are made, even his eter- nal Toiler and Godhead ; Ib that they, if any fuch there are, who adually doubt of it, are without Excufe. Thefe things tran- fcend the Bounds of any finite Capacity, and muft of neceffity be fwallow'd up in Won- der and Admiration, for tho' the holy Pfal. mift various SUBJECTS. T mift has in this Pfalm, where he has de- SF.RM. fcrib'd, or rather drawn out, a imall Sketch of I- the Power and Wifdom of God, given us many fublime Ideas of the almighty Creator, yet when he found the Theme was infinite, and the Labour endlels, he fums up all in this pathetical Exclamation, Lord / how manifold are thy JVorks ! m Wifdom haft thou made them all. Which Words natu- rally lead us to confider the Wifdom of God in the Creation of the World. And accor- dingly I propofe to Ihevv, I. That the Works of the Creation are not the Effects of Chance, but of an all- wife God. II. I will make fbme Reflections upon the Whole. , then, I am to mew that the Works of the Creation are not the Effects of Chance, but of an all-wife God. And now, amidft the infinite Variety of Things, where fhall we begin, or where fhall we end ? Shall we view this Earth, which we inhabit ? Here every thing, whether animate or in- animate, declares itfelf to be the Effect of infinite Wifdom and Contrivance ; and A 2 God 6 S E R M O N S OH RM. God is feen in all his Works. Amongft the I. animate let us confider Man, who is de- nominated the Image of the Almighty ; and he, we find, is fearfully and wonderfully made. If we view the curious Frame of his Body, the admirable Compofure of his Limbs, the wonderful Difpofition of all the Parts for Ufe as well as Ornament ; and indeed in this refpeft Nature has been very liberal and bountiful to us, in giving us two of a Sort of thofe Parts which are moft uieful and neceflfary ; thus we are furnimed with two Eyes, two Hands, two Feet, &c. not only to complete the Harmony of the whole Compofition, but that one might in fome meafure fupply the Defeat or Fail- ure of another. But now if we look with- in, and view the Springs and Movements that fet this wonderful Machine a going, the amazing Contexture of the Fibres, with a thoufand minute Parts inferted thro'out the Whole, all confpiring to carry on the great Ends of Life, a particular Defcription of which maybe feen in Books on that Sub- ject : If we confider for every A&ion and Motion without, as for Example, whether we eat, drink, walk, fpeak, or whatever we do, the Miracles that are at the iame time performing within to produce theie Effects ; various SUBJECTS. 7 Effects j I fey, if we view this curious Frame, SERM. compos'd, as is thought, according to the Itrideft Rules of Geometrical Proportion, we lhall fee the whole World in Epitome. Thus much for the Body ; but if we view the immortal Soul, that adts upon this Body^ how, or by what Means, we know not, and gives it Power to perform the Operations of a rational Creature, yet enables a Man to contemplate the Works of God, and to re- flecl: upon the Wifdom and Contrivance of them, and in this relpect lifts him up above the reft of the Creation, what ffcall we fay of it, but reckon it the Effed of infinite Wifdom ? As to the animal World, tho* it does not come up to the Perfection of the rational, yet 'tis altogether as perfect in its Kind, every Creature having fuch Faculties, as are excellently adapted to it, according to the Rank in which it {tands in the Univerfe. Who can fufBciently admire the Sagacity of fome, the Subtilty of others, and the extraordinary Care aad Tendernefs of all over their Young, to the everlafting Shame of many rational Creatures ? The Cunning of the Fox, the Docility and Traftable- nefs of the Dog, and the Induftry of the Ant, are things very wonderful and furprizing The 8 S E R M O N S OH SERM. The inimitable Net-work of the Spider, the I- elaborate Architecture of the Bee, as well as of the Bird, who buildeth her Neft on high, will always baffle the Wit and In- duftry of Man, not to fay any thing of the other different Species of Creatures that in- habit the Earth and Sea, which are fo many, that tho' a learned Author has endeavour'd to guefs at them, yet 'twas nothing but a Guels, and can never be improved beyond a bare Probability ; for I believe it will be thought no improbable Conjecture to lup- pofe, that there are as many, that cannot be leen by any Eye, as there are that can - fince it is acknowledged on all Hands that every Drop of Water, all forts of Fluids, and confequently every Animal itfelf, as abounding more or lefs in Fluids, are full of them j and how fmall then muft the Parts of thofe little Aniwalcula be ! and how fine the Ligaments that tye them to- gether ! But what is Matter of very great Surprize, is, that, amongft all the animate as well as the inanimate Part of the Creation^ there are not two of any Species that arc exactly alike ; the fmalleft Mite has fome- thing to diftinguifh him from another of the lame Species, tho' his whole Body, with- out an Inftrumefit, is not difcernable. The iirft various SUBJECTS. 9 firft Creation of Matter is indeed very won- SERM. derful j but how it could be diverfified into *\~. fuch an endlefs Multitude of Forms is al- together as much to be admir'd. Shall we now lift up our Eyes above this Globe, and take a Profpeft of the upper Regions, where the Heavens declare the Glory of God) and the Firmament Jbeweth his Handy-works ? there the Power and Wi. dom of the Creator are equally confpicuous. ' JMl here no Pencil ever drew a Copy equal to this bright Original ! Who hath ftretch'd out the Heavens like a Curtain, or form'd fi> fplendid a Canopy ? The immenie Pro- fped lies before us, thoufands of dazzling Orbs promifcuoufly ranged entertain our wondering Speculations ; and who knows where the uniform Diforder ends ? We gaze away our Sight amidft the Swarm of Worlds, and are tir'd with Wonder and Delight. What a vaft Number of fix'd Stars can we difcern with our Eyes ! how many more by the Help of Inftruments, and perhaps an infinite Number more, which neither Eye nor Inftrument can dilcover ! all which, as we learn by the modern Im- provements in Aftronomy, are fb many Suns, each of which, according to the an- tient Calculations, is above 1 60 Times big- ger io SERMONS on SERM. ger than the Earth, but is now thought to I. be a vaft deal more, and probably the Cen- r O f f uc fa a pi ane tary Syftem as ours. The Difpofition of the Solar Syftem, from whence the Difpofition of the Whole may with great Probability be inferr'd, is of all things the moft beautiful and harmonious, com- pos'd according to the niceft Rules, and the exafteft Laws of Nature, the Planets being Ib order'd as to be within the Sphere of each other's A&ivity, by which they are fu pcnded in the Air, and by the Force of Gravitation move round the Sun as their common Center. Thus are thefe glorious Bodies contriv'd to preferve each other from Defblation, and to let forth the Glory of their Creator. If we confider only the Body of the Sun, how delightful and magnificent does it appear ! according to that of Solo- mon ; TJje Light is facet , and a pleafant thing it is for the Eyes to behold the <%;/. How delightful, and with what Splendor, when it firft lights up the Firmament ! how magnificent, and with what Grandeur, when in its meridian Height ! The Pfalmift ex- cellently defcribes this, TfaL xix. 6, 7. /;/ them hath he fet a Tabernacle for the Sun, which comcth forth as a Bridegroom out of his Chamber^ and rejoketh as a Giant to run various SUBJECTS. n run his Courfe ; it goeth forth from the SERM. titter moft "Part of the Heaven, and runneth about unto the End of it again, and there is nothing hid from the Heat thereof. J Tis by the Influence of this glorious Body that e- very thing intheWorld lives and thrives. 'Tis this that gives the Earth a genial Warmth, and makes the Ground prolifick; that calls the tender Blofibm from the Bud, and gives to Trees and Plants their Bloom and Vigor. "Tis this that thaws the Ice of old Age, and gives to Youth Nourifhment and Adivity. In Ihort, it chears the Heart of Man and Beait, and fpreads a univerfal Gladnefs over the Face of all Nature, within the Influence of whofe Beams every thing is gay, chear- ful and lively, without it 'tis all Darknefs, Horror and Defolation. 'Tis no Wonder then to find that there are fome Heathens among the idolatrous Nations that worfhip and adore it ; for when once People are come to fuch a Pais as to be ignorant of the true God, whom Heaven and Earth adore, and worfliip Stocks and Stones, and other, many other, fuch contemptible, imaginary- Deities, who are ignorant of their Devoti- ons, and can't reward them for their La- bour j when they worlhip not only that which hath no Divinity, but that which B ' hath 12, S E R M O N S 0# SERM. hath no Life, which the Smith worketh til -.Jwt tne Coals, and fafhioneth with Hammers, and worketh with the Strength of his Arms ; how much more natural is it, if any inani- mate Creature could poffibly be thought worthy of Adoration, that the Sun mould be that Creature, that is by many Degrees preferable to the reft, and appears with Ib much fuperior Splendor and Magnificence ! But to proceed. Shall we go further and travel thro* every fix'd Star, and obferve the wonderful Make and Contrivance of them, and how they ftand to each other, and to the Whole ? Or, lhall we launch out into the Immenfity of Space, and take a Profpeft of the whole Creation at once, and from the infinite Expanfe take a Survey of all Nature, as it lies wonderfully diiplay'd up and down in it, and view the fame tJ- niformity of Wifdom throughout this vaft Infinity of Things, as in this World which we inhabit, and fee all things carried on by the fame Providence, and iuitain'd by the fame almighty Power ? At this Diftance, how fmall and inconfiderable would this little Globe appear! what a trifling Speck in the mighty Void, hardly more important than the leaft Mite we fee in it ! What a ftrange Sight ! what an unexpected Profpecl: would this various SUBJECTS. 13 this be to the proud and ambitious Man, SERM- who has already plac'd himfelf not only at * the Top of this Globe, but at the Top of the Umverfe, at the Head of all Things, tho' at the fame time neither he, nor the World he lives in, does to the whole bear the Proportion of the fmalleft Grain of Sand I How aftonifhing are thefe things to a finite Capacity ! how mocking is the Confidera- tion of them to a human Intellect ! The Plal- rnift fufficiently declares his Admiration of them, as he gives us thus to underftand. When I confider the Heavens, the Work of thy Fingers, the Moon and the Stars which thou haft ordain'd, what is Man that thou art mindful of him, and the Son of Man that thou vijiteft him ! But what need we to call the Heavens and Stars to teftify the Wifdom of the almighty Creator, fince 'tis but to ftep back and vifit this Earth again, and we fhall find that the leaft Part of the Creation, even a Lilly of the Field, bears fufficient Teftimony to it, and has the Seal of God, the Mark of the Divine Omnipotence vifibly ftamp'd upon it ? How regardleis are People generally of them, and how inconfiderable are they for the moft part accounted, and yet Solomon in all his Glory was not array' d like one B 2 of 14 S E R M o N s on SERM. ofthefe ! And indeed the fmalleft Leaf i$ f of fo wonderful a Contexture as to demon- ftrate the Divine Hand that made it, and to fhew it to be beyond the utmoft Reach of all human Art. So that the fame Wif- dom, which is difplay'd at large in the mag- nificent Profpeft we have now been viewing* is equally conlpicuous in the fmalleft Part of the Creation, the fame Wifdom, tho' not the fame Degree of it, being as necelfary in the Formation of the minuteft Animal, a Worm, or a Fly, as in the- Formation of the World, or all things elfe that are in it. Whether therefore we confider the Works of God in whole or in part, at full Length or in Miniature, they exprefs the greateft Wifdom imaginable. To whom elie then fhall we afcribe the Rife and Birth of all Things ? Who laid the Meafures of the Earth ? fays the Lord to Job ; or who hath ftretched the Line upon it ? on are the Foundations thereof faflned ? or who laid the Corner Stone thereof? Haft thou commanded the Morning fmce thy Days, and caufed the Day-fpring to know his Tlace ? Where is the Way where Light dwelleth ? and as for Darknefs, where is the "Place thereof ? Hath the Rain a Fa- ther ? or who hath begotten the Drofs of Dew * various SUBJECTS. 15* Dew ? Out ofwhofe Womb came the be? and the hoary Fro ft of Heaven, who hath ~ gendered it ? Can' ft thou lift up thy Voice to the Clouds, that abundance of Platers may cover thee . Catfft thou fend Light- nings that they may go, and fay unto thee y Here we are ? Who hath fut Wifdom in the inward Tarts ? or who hath given Underftanding to the Heart ? In this fub- lime manner did God condefcend to talk with Job, and afcrib'd the Creation of all Things to himfelf by challenging him to find out another Author of Nature. And, indeed, if we can't afcribe all thefe things to the Wifdom of God, to what can \ve afcribe them ? Can we afcribe them, as the Eficureans of old foolifhly did, to Chance, to that which has no real Exiftencc in the World ? for Chance is nothing but only the Ignorance of Certainty. When, therefore, we afcribe any thing to Chance^ we don't mean by it that Chance is any thing real, much lefs that it is the Caufe of any thing, however fome may be amus'd by the Sound of the Word, but 'tis an Ex- preffion we make ufe of to fhew our Igno- rance of the true Caufe. Thus when any Event happens in Life, which we could not forefee, 'tis common enough to attribute it to 16 SERMONS^/ SERM. to Chance, becaufe we can't fee the Reafori L of it, /. e. the Train of Caufes that have produc'd it ; for in any other Senfe 'tis im- poffible there Ihould be any fuch thing in Nature as Chance, there being a certain and neceffary Reafon for every thing ; and to a Being that fees all Things, and the Rea- Ibns of them, 'tis all Certainty, there can be no fuch thing as Chance ; but to a Being who can't fee all Things the Cafe is thus : As far as he can difcover the Reafons of Things, fb far they are Certainties to fuch a one too > and as far as he cannot do this, fo far they ftand to him upon the Foot of Chance. Whatfhalhve lay then, that thefe wonderful Works of the Creation are, as the Epicureans lay, the ffecls of certain Atoms, or fine Parts of Matter meeting together by Chance ? $e- lides the Abfurdity of fuppofing thofe to meet that will be for ever falling at certain Diflances from each other, or to fall not in perpendicular Lines, but a little declining, which they fuppofe for no Reafon in the World but to fupport a tottering Hypo- thefis j yet as Chance has been prov'd to be nothing but the Ignorance of the Caufe, to fay that thefe Things met by Chance is no fatisfadory Account ; for fuppofing this were true, yet we are not to reft here, but muft various SUBJECTS. 17 ttmft go on to enquire for the Caufe, the SSRM Caufe even of that Chance, or rather of T. that which appears to us to be fo ; and what can that be but God ? But all this while the Atoms the mfelves are not accounted fo^ \vhich yet muft be done in order to make a confiftent Scheme ; for whatever is muft have a Caule, except the felf-exiftent Being himfelf, the Suppofition of \vhofe Nature excludes all Caule. But fuppofe, according to the vulgar No- tion of it, that Chance were fomething real, a fort of a giddy Agent, that does things at Random, without any Thought or Defign ; can we imagine that this beautiful Frame of the Univerfe can pofhbly be the Effect cf fuch a whimfical, uncertain Caufe ? Can we fuppole that the conftant and invariable Xaws of Nature are the Effect of Caiuaity, or that the Worlds were made by Accident ? Can we fuppofe that Matter madly thrown together fhould form ib glorious a Body as the Sun is ? or, could the lucky Hit be carried ftill further to Stars innumerable? How comes their Motion and Periods to be fo regular, fince Chance is by the Suppofi- tion ib uncertain ? Doubtlefs blind For r tune has not done all this, but the Hand of an all- wife God. What fortuitous Concou rf c of i8 SERMONS on SERM. of Atoms could produce fuch a Creature a9 I. Man ? or how came he to be endued with *SY^ Reafon ? Is this by Virtue of a few Particles of Matter ? Can any Thing give what it is not poflefs'd of ? or, can Thought and Reafon be fuppos'd to proceed from a dull inanimate Subftance ? But why han't thele Atoms, or this Chance, rais'd fome lofty Fabrick or convenient Houfes, as well as Men to inhabit them ? Thefe Conjectures are too weak to impole upon rational Crea- tures, and are as lenielefs as the Atoms thcm- lel ves. W ho looks into the vegetative World? when all Nature is in its Bloom, when the flowery Meadows and Groves delight the Smell, and with pleafing Diforder and beau- tiful Irregularity falute the Eyes, and a- icribes all this to Chance, and not rather to the higheft Wifdom ? Infhort, if the Har- mony of the Univerfe was the Effect of Chance, then this plain Contradiction muft neceflarily follow ; That nothing can be im- agin'd more certain and regular than Cafualty and Accident. So that if Chance mean s Regularity, Order, Uniformity, Contri- vance, &c. then 'tis co-incident with the higheft Wifdom, and becomes identified with it. Thus this ridiculous Error, lik e all others, when purfued far enough, runs up at laft into Truth, and the Eftcurean Chance, various SUBJECTS. 19 Chance, abating only the Contradidion of SERM. the Word, is no lefs than the great God of ! Heaven and Earth. Which brings me, as I propos'd, Secondly^ To make fome Reflections upon the Whole. And, frjl. The Wifdom, which is every where diiplay'd in the Works of the Creation, ihould lead us to praife and adore the great Creator. Man is the only Creature upon this Globe that is capable of difcerning the infinite Beauty and Contri- vance of them; for, tho' other Creatures are naturally fenfible of the Ufe and Benefit of a great many of them, as, for Example, that the Grafs is good for Food, the Tree for Shelter, &c. yet Man alone is capable of feeing how wifely and beautifully they are order'd and contriv'd, becaule he alone is endued with Faculties capable of fuch a Contemplation ; he alone then is able to exprels a juft Senfe of it, to fratfe the Lord for his Goodnefs, and declare the Wonders that he doth for the Children of 'Men , and hence arifes his Obligation to do it. But Man is more eipecially concern'd to do this, becaufe he is placed at the Head of Things, at leaft in this Part of the Creation, where all Things were made for his Uie and G Service, ^o SERMONS*// .X SERM. Service, the Earth, Air and Sea, and all ! Things in them ; and not only fo, but the " heavenly Bodies alfo, the Sun to rule the Day^ and the Moon and Stars to give him Light in the Night Seafon ; for tho' thefe may have other Ufes in Nature, yet as long as they ferve the Ufes of Man, it is the fame to him as if they were made for him only, and require the fame grateful Ac- knowledgments. 2. The Wifdom of God in the Works of the Creation (hould teach us not only Thank- fubefs, but Humility. For indeed, if we confider that, among the infinite Variety of Things with which we are incompafs'd, there is not one of them that is thoroughly known and underltood by Man, a few Properties only of a Thing being enough for an Age or two to find out, and the leaft Blade of Grafs having Wonders enough in it to confound ttle greateft Philofopher, what Avenues can there poffibly be for Pride to enter ? Well then might it be faid, that Pride is founded in Ignorance, and well might the moft knowing be alfb the moft humble. 3. The Wifclom of God difcover'd in the Works of the Creation fhbuld teach us not only to be thankful and humble, but to be good, and to lead fuch Lives as may make various SUBJECTS. 2.1 make us in fome meafure worthy of thele SERM. Bleffings \vhich we were defign'd to con- v template and enjoy. And indeed, if we are ^ truly grateful and humble, thefe Virtues will naturally lead us to this; 'for all the Actions of a good Life are but fo many Branches that fpring from them. Who- ever has a juft Senfe of Gratitude to God, and is poffefs'd of a truly humble Mind, will alfo ofcourfe be temperate, fober, juft, and every thing elfe that is good and praife- w.orthy ; he will put that Value upon Men and Things which they deferve ; he will confider himfelf, not only as the Workman- fhip, but the Image of God ; and therefore will be very cautious of doing any thing that tends to throw a Slur upon him whofe Image and Superfcription he bears. In fhort, he will do every thing to anfvver the Ends of his Creation, and to contribute to the Glory of his great Creator. Which that *&e may all do, God of his infinite Mercy grant, &c. C z S E R- SERMON II JOB xxviii. a8, unto Man he faid. Behold > the Fear of the Lord that is Wifdom, and to depart from Evil is Under Jtanding. N the foregoing Chapter, to which this has Relation, Job had been protefting againit the Dodrine of his Friends, who all along aflert- ed that Afflictions were ever the Confluence of Sin, and that fome remarkable Venge- ance always attended wicked Men \ which neverthelefs he grants that it does fbmetimes happen to be true, tho* he denies it to be always a conftant Rule and Method of God's Proceedings : And being aware that they would be apt to fufped the Impartiality of this way of a&ing, and would not be able to reconcile it to the Juftice of God, he ihews various SUBJECTS. 13 fcews them that thefe things arc beyond the SERM. R each of human Capacity, that the Things of Nature would be a more proper Subject to employ the Wit and Induftry of Man, whofe Enquiries, when they have been car- ried this Way, have anlwered the End and proved fuccefsful, but that the Secrets of the Almighty are likely always to remain fuch to us, notwithstanding our utmoft En- deavours to find them out. Surely, lays he, there is a Vein for the Silver, and a- Tlace for Gold where they find it : Iron is taken out of the Earth, and Brafs is mol- ten out of the Stone. There is a *Patk which no Fowl knoweth, and which the Vulture's Eye hath not feen ; the Lion's Whelfs have not trodden it, nor the fierce Lion faffed by it. But where Jhall Wifdom be found ? and where is the Tlace of Understanding ? that is, who can find out the Realbns and Methods of God's Providence ? This is indeed a hard Queftion for Fleih and Blood to anfwer : as for this ibrt of WifHom, which is Wifdom in the highcft Senfe of the Word, there is no Purchafe to be given for it j for Man knoweth not the Trice thereof, nei- ther is it found in the Land of the Living. The Defth faith. It is not in me ', and the Sea faith, It is not with me : Where then ihall '.>< S E R M O N S OH SERM. fliall we feek it ? If it is not in the Earth " nor Sea, where can we imagine it to be ? where are we like to meet with it ? If we confult the fame good Man in this Cafe, he will tell us that God alone underftandeth the Way of it y he knoweth the "Place thereof-, and tho' he only hath feen it, and fearched it out, and the Knowledge of it is not to be obtained by Man, yet he fhews that God hath appointed Wifdom and Under- ftanding of another Kind, more fiiitable to our Condition, more advantageous in the End, and which we are all able to .attain ; which confifts in fearing the Lord, and de- parting from Evil. Unto Man he faid, Behold, the Fear of the Lord that is Wtf- dom, and to defart from Evil is Under- fianding. Now tho' thefe Expreffions, the Pear of the Lord, and departing from Evil, include in them the whole Sum and Subftance of Religion, yet becaufe Job hacj been fpeaking againft a curious Enquiry into the Ways of Providence, and had fhewn that that kind of Wifdom belonged only to. God, and having in the Words of the Text pointed out to us aWilclom of a lower Na. ture, in Contradiction to that which is more fuitable to our Capacities, and which con- fifts in the doing good and forfaking Evil, I believe various SUBJECTS. 15* I Believe they are not to be taken here to SER.M. fignify Matters of Speculation, fuch as the it- deep Counlels of God, which always weje and always will be far above out of our Sight, but that Part of Religion only which is more clearly made known, and which has a more immediate Relation to Practice. From the Words of the Text I fhall en- deavour to prove, that true Religion is the only true Wiiclom. I. Becaufe it directs us to the beft End. II. Becaufe it affords us the beft Means ' 'of obtaining it. Firft^ then, I am to prove that true Re- ligion is the only true Wiiclom, becauie it 'directs us to the beft End. I call it true Religion-^ to diftinguifh it from that which is 'only fo in Appearance } for every thing is hot Piety and Godlinefs that feems to be fb, nor is every thing Religion that bears the Name of it : For it is no unufual thing to put the Name of Religion upon that which is only the Product of Fancy, Intereft, or a peeviih Humour. With what Rage and Fury have fome People harrafled one ano- ther about Matters foreign to Religion, from the great and unsearchable Decrees of God, SERMONS on SERM. God, down to the weak and fimple Inven* tjons f Men ! By giving way to the idle Whims of Fancy and Imagination, People have been brought to look for Religion any where but in the Scriptures, to introduce the Doctrines of Men in the Room of the Doctrines of Chritt, and at length to difpute away their Bibles, where alone the true Religion is to be found. Thus, by leaving Truth, we open a Way to numberleis Errors which we are led into unavoidably. The hidden Things of Providence have been the Subject of much Debate and Enquiry for many Generations ; but to what Purpofe ? Can we by Jearchitfe fnd out God < can we find out the Almighty tmto T erf eft ion ? It is as high as Heaven, what catfft thou do ? deefer than Hell, what can'ft than know ? And fuppofe we could find out thefe fecret Ways of Providence, what is that to the fearing the Lord, and departing from Evil ? Should we lead better Lives for it ? or go to Heaven the fooner ? Good and Evil are things eafily learnt without any great Stretch of Abilities ; and 'tis not the Knowledge of Myfteries that is required of us, but a good Life : For what doth the Lord our God require of us, but to fear the Lord our God y to walk in his Ways y and to love him, and various SUBJECTS. 17 to ferve htm with all our Heart-, and with SERM. all our Soul, to keep the Commandments of the Lord, and his Statutes which he hath commanded us ? And even in Things of lels Importance, what different Shapes has Religion appeared in, according to the va- rious Fancies and Inclinations of Men ! Even in the Apoftles Days, among the ConnthL ans, fome were for 'Paul, fome for Af olios y *ome for Cephas, and fome for Chrift ; and they were ib much divided about it, as if thefe Names had fignified fo many different Religions ; as if Chrift had been divided, and they had all fet up a feparate Intereft for themfelves. How Religion has been difguifed by Self-intereft, and an infatiable Thirft after Wealth, the World too well knows; and as long as Godlineis is Gain in the obvious and literal Senfe, and Religion is made a Craft, great will be Diana of the Ephejians. Nor has Religion fuffered lefs from a peevifh and quarrelfome Temper : With what Strife and Contention have Men engaged one another about what they have not underftood ; and which it would fignify nothing to Religion if they had, or on which Side the Truth of the Matter in Difpute lay ! For I believe it will be allowed, that in moft religious Controverfies, as they are D called, ^8 SERMONS^/ SERM. called, Religion itfelf is leaftof all concern- e( ^ : For Religion is not concerned about things of an indifferent Nature, but about Matters weighty and fubltantial. TheKmg- dom ofGod y fay St Taul^ is not Meat and Drink, but Righteoufnefs and Teace, and Joy in the Holy Ghoft : For he that in 'thefe things ferveth Chrift, is acceptable to God y and approved of Men. So that the true Religion is not that which lies out of our Reach, nor does it confift of trifling Speculations, but it goes into the Heart as well as the Head, and Ihines forth in our Lives. But this only by the way. Now taking it for granted, that that which directs us to the beft End is the only true Wifdom, be- caufe 'tis agreeable to the Dictates of a ra- tional Creature acting as iuch, I fhall prove that Religion direds us to the beft End, and therefore that it is the only true Wifdom. The beft and moft defirable End that can be imagined is eternal Happinefs ; and tho* 'tis what all Men wilh for, yet nothing but Religion points it out to us, becaufe no- . thing but that can give us any Certainty or AiTurance of a future State, where alone it is to be hadj and which the Chriftiari Religion efpecially has made manifeft by the various SUBJECTS. 19 the Appearance of our Saviour Jefus Chrift, SES.M. who hath brought Life and Immortality to Light thro 1 the Go/pel. This was a great Secret to the wifeft of the Gentile World, who, after all their curious Searches, and philofbphical Inquiries, could not find where to fet up their Place of Reft j and after all their Difputes about the Nature of Happi- nefs, they made it a thin metaphyfical Sha- dow rather than any thing real, and either left it as they found it, or elfe explained it by what wanted to be explained again, and was ftill the Matter in Difpute : And in- deed 'tis no wonder that they who can't fee beyond the Grave, with any Clearncls or Certainty, can't difcover the Seat of Hap- pineis, and find out a Reward for the Righte- ous. Nature itfelf can never demonftrate this ; nor can they who dwell in Houfes of Clay, without fome Afliftance from Above, have any tolerable Apprehenfions of Houfes not made with Hands^ eternal in the Hea- vens. The Stokks afferted, that Virtue was itfelf a fufficient JRecompence, and an an ample Reward for all the Pains, Troubles and Sufferings that Men undergo in this Life ; which, tho' it is indeed an honoura- ble Opinion of Virtue, and a noble Advance in Favour of Religion ; and tho' it be like- D 2 wife 30 SERMONS on SERM. wife certain, that a good Man will be la- 1 1- tisfied from himfelf, yet all this is only true * ' J J in part, and will amount to no more than this, that it is very lovely and defirable, and which every wife and good Man would certainly chufe, and that too upon its own Account, by reaibn of the Satisfaction that arifcs from it. But if the Good and Bad go down together in the Duft, if one thing befalleth Men and Beafts, and as the one dieth fo dieth the other, and we ftiall be hereafter as if we had never been, what is become of the Reward then ? Shall it be a Reward to them who are not in a Capacity of apprehending it? who have not a Being to enjoy it in ? Had they confider'd it not as the End, but only as the Means, they would not have pull'd down with one Hand what they endeavour'd to build up with the other, but would have given Virtue its due Praife and Honour, and not have de- tracted from it, by cutting off that Reward which will one Day be the Confequence of it ; fur furely^ fays Solomon^ there is aRe- iz-ard^ and thine Exfettation jhall not be ait of. And indeed this is as reafonable for a Man that has a Soul, and performs the Conditions required, to expect, as it is for a God of infinite Bounty and Goodnefs to beftow. various SUBJECTS. 31 beftow. Hard would have been the Lot SERM, of holy Men of old, who fuffered the moft II. cruel Affli&ions that Malice could invent, or refolute Goodnels undergo, and delivered up their Lives in the Caufe of Virtue, had there been no Recompence of Reward ; for if in this Life only we have Hofe in Ghrift y we are of all Men moft miserable. But we are fure they a&ed upon a wife and good Principle, even upon the ftrong Founda- tion of Faith ; for they were tortured not accepting Deliverance, that they might ob- tain a better Refurredion, a Refurre&ion to true and eternal Happinefs. But Re- ligion tends to make us happy in this World allb, as far as Happinefs is to be had here, as well as in the next ; for it has the ''Pro- wife of the Life that now is as well as of that which is to come : And this ic does, not by pleafing the Fancy, and gratifying the Senfes ; this is a mean and fordid Hap- pinefs, which, depending upon the Body, is in the Power of every little Accident to obftru6t j but in giving Eafe to the Mind, and Peace to the Confcience, which brings us as near Heaven as we can poflibly be while we are upon Earth. And after all,' what doth a wicked Life tend to ? What Profit hath the wicked Man of all his La. bo r ttr SERMONS^/ hour which he taketh under the Sun * Only to wear awa y a f ew Days of Sorrow and Mifery here, and then to go into a State of endlefs Mrfery hereafter ; where their Can- dle Jhall be clean fut out, and their Light Jhall be turned into Darknefs. But, on the other hand, the Righteous Jhall Jkine forth as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father. Thus doth Religion obtain its End ; and an End it is truly worthy of a rational Crea- ture, a&iqg up to the Perfection of its Na- ture ; and if, according as the End is more or lefs noble, fo is the Wifdom in obtaining it, Religion muftbe the only true WiiHom, becaufe it directs us to the beft and moft noble End, wsz. eternal Happinefs. I come now to fhew in the Second Place, that it is the only doni, becaufe it affords us the beffc Means of obtaining it. Now thole Means are certainly the beft that never fail of obtaining their End, which are only to be found in Religion. All other Means, by fome un- foreleen Accident or other, are often di appointed of the End they were defigned to obtain ; of which there is no Occalion for any Proof, becaufe every one has, one Time or other, made the Experiment : But we & are various SUBJECTS. 3 ? are fure the Means which Religion affords SERM. will never fail of obtaining the End we all defire, becaufe a God of Truth hath faid it. The Scripture abounds with Promifes of e- ternal Life and Happinefs to thofe that fear God and keep his Commandments, but it no where promifes either upon any other Con- ditions j for 'tis not the Rich, the Mighty, or the Learned, who are entitled to Hap- pinefs, but they who are religious and good. Riches, for Example, are of themfelyes of no Ufe to make a Man happy, unlefs Hap- pinefs were to be bought, whereas it is to be purchafed no otherwiie than by being rich in good Works ; nor is it to be ob- tained by Power and Might, by Conquefts and great Achievements, but by Meeknefs and Humility, by conquering a Man's Sel and fubduing his rebellious Paffions : For he that is fioiz> to Anger is better than the Mighty, and he that rnleth his Spirit, than he that taketh a City. And what will even the Wifdom of Learning and Knowledge fignify, unlefs a Man is wife unto Salvation? The Knowledge of Sciences, however ufe- ful in its Way, has but little Tendency to a good Life. He who profefTes Religion, and makes it his Bufinefs to be a good Chriftian, muft be skili'd in Knowledge of another 34 SERMONS 0# SERM. another Kind ; he muft know the Love of II- Chrift, which pafleth all Knowledge, he muft be sfcill'd in that Knowledge which will enable him to provide for his eternal Happineis, which is no otherwile to be ob- tained but by fearing God, and keeping his Commandments ; for a Man may go to Hea- ven without Philofophy, tho' he can never expect to go there without Religion. But what then is Learning a Thing of no Con- fequence ? Is human Wifiiom and Know- ledge of no Value ? Is it no Advantage to be a Scholar ? Yes certainly, much every Way ; it is of great Ufe, not only in im- proving our tJnderftandings, but alfb in obtaining many great and noble Ends in Life, which we could never obtain without it; and 'tis then only of little Ufe when 'tis confider'd apart from Religion ; for when 'tis feparated from That, 'tis Science falfely fb called, and is not true Wifdom, but only the Appearance of it ; 'tis not that Wifdom which makes Men better, but that which fets Men even below their Inferiors ; ib true is that Saying of the Son of Syrach, He that bath fmall Understanding, and feareth God, is better than one that hath mich Wifdom, and tranfgreffeth the Law of the Moft High." Solomon, after all his diligent various SUBJECTS. .diligent and thorough Search after Wifdom, and his utmoft Enquiry into every thing ** that had even the Appearance of it> finding that nothing here below could fa- tisfy the Mind of Man, pronounces Vanity and Vexation upon all his Experiments, and being at laft allured that Religion afforded the only Means of obtaining Happinefs, makes that the Sum of all our Duty j and thus concludes his whole Enquiry : Fear God, and keep his Commandments, for this is the whole Duty of Man. -When the young Man asked our Saviour \vhat he fliould do to inherit eternal Life, he did not turn him over to Arts and Sciences, and the Wifdom of this World, or bid him do what was not in his Power ; but faid, Ifthou wilt enter into Life, keep the Commandments. And when a certain Lawyer asked him the fame Queftion, either to try his Knowledge, or improve his own, or to fee whether he would teach any thing contrary to the Law of Mofes, he enjoins nothing contrary tc That, but refers him to his own Rule ; What is written m the Law ? How readeft thou ? And he anfwered, 7hou Jhalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart, and with all thy Soul, and with all thy Strength^ and with all thy M'md, and thy Neighbour as E 3<> SERMONS*??/ SERM. thyfelf. Upon which our Saviour did nor II- fay this was not fufficient, or that Matters of a fpeculative Nature were more neceffary to Salvation, but faid, Thou haft anfwered right ; this do, and thou /halt live. And indeed 'tis very confiftent with the Nature of an all-wile and good Being, who would that all Men ihould be faved, to make the Way to Happinefs plain and eafy ; and fincc eternal Happinefs is a Matter of infinite Concernment, and not confined to a few who have more Learning, and greater A- bilities than others, but that the Learned and Unlearned, Bond and Free, are all to be faved through the Mediation of Jefus Chrift, if they will make ufe of proper Means, 'tis but reafonable to fuppofe that thofe Means fhould be fuch as are fuitable to every Man's Capacity, and fuch likewife as will never fail of obtaining their End. Since then the Fear of the Lord, or a re- ligious Life, is the only true Wifdom, what remains but that we endeavour to obtain it by a fuitable Behaviour and Converfation in every Adion of our Lives ? And indeed there feems to be lets Need of any great Per- fuafion in this Matter, becaufe there are few but are willing and forward enough to be thought wife, even at the Expence of their various SUBJECTS. 37 their Modefty; and therefore to be really SERM* ib one would think Ihould be much more defirable, elpecially if we confider, that this is not the Wifdom that makes us wife only for a Day or a Year, but for ever; and tho* it be true that Tongues Jbatt ceafe, Trofhe- cies fail^ and Knowledge be done away, yet the Wifdom of Religion mail never fail us, becaufe it leads us to a Place where no- thing mall ceale or be done away. When a Man gains his End by proper Means, however trifling that End is when obtained, he is efteemed wife ; how much wifer then muft he be, who has obtained an End of the greateft Concernment in the World, e- ven the Salvation of his Soul. And fince People generally ipare no Pains to obtain what, after all, is little elfe but Vanity and Sorrow, and hardly worth the Labour that is beftowed upon it ; if they would but act in an equitable Manner, as in other Cafes, they would ufe the greateft Pains and In- duftry about that which is of the greateft Moment : That, upon which a whole Eter- nity depends, certainly requires our utmoft Care and Concern : And they have no Right to make ufe of any Argument with relation to the Difficulty of the Task, who have not at leaft taken the fame Pains about it as E 2 they 38 SERMONS on SERM. they have in other Gales, to obtain any II- other good End. In fhort, a rational Crea-* ** ture ftiould ad as fuch, and as Religion is undoubtedly his greateft Bufinels, fo fhould it be likewiie his greateft Care. 'Tis true> it is not expeded of a Horfe or a Mule, that have no Underftanding, to be religious j but Man, who has a realbnable Mind, muft ad contrary to his Nature if he is not Ib ; fuch a one can never contradid Religion, till he has firft aded contrary to his Reafbn, and offer'd manifeft Violence to his Under- ftanding. And we may add to this like- \vife, that we profefs ourfelves to be Chri- ftians, and if ib, we don't ad at all con- fiftently, if we are not Men of Religion ; for however a lewd, diflblute Life mayfuit with a Mahometan Scheme of Religion, yet for a Chriftian to live fo, who has en- gag'd to keep God's Commandments, and to walk in the fame all the Days of hts Life, is the oddeft Thing in the World; 'tis going againft Nature and Principle both, and deftroying the Notions we have of Right and Wrong. But if, after all, People will itill go on in a vieious Way of Living, and yet neverthelefs exped to be happy, tho* they don't concern themfelves at all about Religion, which (as has been fhewn) is the only various SUBJECTS, 59 only Means of obtaining it, it lies upon SERM, them to ihew where Happinefs is promifed without it. Since then a godly and re^ ligious Lip is fo neceffary and becoming in every one who has a future Haffinefs to fecure ; 'tis much more fo in thofe who are called to any holy. Function, because they have flronger Obligations to it than other Men have. They who give Rules to others^ muft furely be fuffofed to fraftife them themfelves, if they think to inftrutt with Succefs, and be living Examples of every 'Precept they teach others ; for ^People will then only be convinced that we deal equita~ bly with them, when we require no more of them than what we our f elves doconflant- ly ferform. To conclude. A good Life is the Sum of the whole Chriftian Philofophy arid every thing elfe is to be valued more or lels, according as it has more or iefs Tendency to it : And whatever Fancies People may fet up in the Room of it, which may be always Matter of Difpute, and become De- monftration in one Age, and Nonfenfe in a- nother ; yet, as long as the Word of God has any Influence or Authority with Men, the fear of the Lord will always be Wifdom'^ and to depart from Evil Understanding. This 40 SERMONS on y &c< SJERM. This is certainly right and true, whatever H. js not fb. If then we will be wife for our- felves, let it appear by our Aftions. Who is a wife and knowing Man among you, fays St James, let him Jbew out of a good Converfation his Works with Meeknefs of Wtfdom. This is Religion, or Wifdom, as Solomon loves to call it, that is more f re- tious than Rubies , that muft always be cloathed with the Beauty of Holinels, and fliine forth in the lovely Ornament of a, good Life, to him, who is the Lord of all Tower and Mighty and the Author and Giver of all good Things, let us continually offer uf our humble 'Prayers, that he would graft in our Hearts the Love of his Name, in- creafe in us true Religion, nourijb us with all Goodnejs, and of his great Mercy keef us in the fame* - through Jefus Chrift our Lord : To whom with the Father and Holy Ghoft, be ascribed, as is moft due, all Honour, Glory, Might, Majefly and Dominion, henceforth and for evermore. SER- SERMON III JOB iv. 17. Shall mortal Man le more juft than God} Shall a Man be more pure than his Maker ? N the early Ages of the World, SERM. \vhen the Almighty condefcended III- to (peak to his Creatures, and de- clare his Will in Dreams and Vi- fions, thefe Words were fpoken to Eliphaz, in a Vifion of the Night, as he was ruminat- ing, in a penfive Manner, upon the Cir- cumftances of what had happened to him be- fore on fuch Occafions ; and the Reaibn of his relating them to Job, was, becaufe he thought he had been too prefumptuous in his Complaints on the Miferies of Life, thereby tacitly accufing the Divine Provi- dence of Injuftice, in appointing him to undergo S E R M O N- S O'A SERM. undergo fb heavy a Burden of Affli&ibns \ III. For when Job's three Friends came to fee " him, of whom Elifhaz was one, and he had a long while in vain expected them to condole with him in his Miferies, and com- fort him in his Sorrows, he could not forbear crying out, Let theDayferiJh wherein I was born, and the Night in which it was faid^ There is a Man Child conceived : Let that Day be Darknefs y let not God regard it from Above, neither let the Light Jb'me uf- on it : Let Darknefs and the Shadow of Death ftain it ; let a Cloud dwell ufon it ^ let the Blacknefs of the Day terrify it: AS for that Nfghf, let Darknefs feize ufon />. let it not be joined unto the Days of the Tear ; let it not come into tfo Number of the Months : Becaufe it Jhut not uf the Doors of my Mother's Womb, nor hid Sorrow from mine Eyes ; for now jbould I have lain fill and been quiet, I Jbould have /left then^ and have been at Reft with Kings and Counsellors of the Earthy which built def- late T laces for themf elves. There the Wick- ed ceafe from Troubling, and the H r eary be at Reft ; there the Trifoners reft together ; they hear not the Voice of the Offreffbr ; the Small and the Great are there , and the Servant is free f'om his Mafter. At which Complaint various SUBJECTS. 43 Complaint Eliphaz, being greatly incens'd, SERM. fharply rebukes him for not putting in Practice thofe good Rules and Inftrudions which he had given others ', and tells him, that he fufpe&s his Piety and Goodnefs, be- caufe the Innocent were not wont to fuffer fuch Things, but the Wicked and Oppre- fbrs, whom God had always humbled, tho' they exalted themfelves never fo much againft him. And left thefe Obfervations fhould not be fufficient to convince him of his Error, he relates to him what he had heard himfelf in a Vifion. A Tiring was fecretly brought to me, fays he, and mine Ear received a little thereof ' -, in Thoughts from the Vifions of the Nighty when deep Sleep falleth on Men^ Fear came upon me, and Trembling, which made all my Bones to jhake \ then a Spirit faffed before my Face, the Hair ofwy Flejb flood up, it flood flill, but I could not dif- cern the Form thereof-, an Image was be. . fore mine Eyes, there was Silence, and I heard a Voice, faying, Shall mortal Man be more jufl than God ? Shall a Man be more pure than his Maker ? i. e. 'Tis in vain for frail Man to difpute, or conteft the Ju- ftice of God's Proceedings, or for an imper- fect Creature to exalt himfelf againft his Maker ; for tho' %ve fuppofe him to be as F eminently 44 S E R M o N s on SERM, eminently juft and righteous, asheisunjuft III. j and unrighteous, yet as long as he hastheleaft " Impei-feftion in him, he can't be perfe&ly lb, he can't therefore be as perfect as God who made him ; for whatever Juftice or Goodnefs is in Man, muft be fo in God in a more excellent Degree. From the Words of the Text, I propofe to ihew, I. That the Afflictions which happen to us in this Life are no Objections againft the Juftice of God. And then propofe to fhew, II. That the Leflbn moft proper and na- tural to be learnt from this, is, not to mur- mur and repine at any thing that befalls us, but to lubmit ourfelves and our Caufe to God. Firft, then, I ani to fhew, that the Af- flictions which happen to us in this Life are no Objections againft the Juftice of God. For to fuppoie the contrary, pro. ceeds from an Ignorance of God and Man. For any thing this Supposition fuggefts to the contrary, God may be indeed a Being endued with great Power, but as for Wi dom, Knowledge, and Goodnefs, in thefe he various SUBJECTS. 4? he muft be defective ; for if he is unjuft in SERM. permitting Afflictions to befal good Men ^^ (for fuch the Argument intends them) he is fo, either for want of knowing who thefe good Men are, or elfe for want of Goodnefs to give them their Due ; upon both which Accounts his Wifdom allb will be very liable to be fufpe&ed and calFd in Queftjon. But now God is infinite every Way, not only in Power, Duration, Extenfion, &c. but in every thing elfe ; for he is either No- thing, or the Sum of all Things. The Idea of God includes in it every thing that is great and excellent, and that in an infinite Degree, according to the Son of Syrack's fublime Defcription of him. By his Word allThings confift ; we may If eak much, and yet come Jhort, wherefore in Sum he is all. How Jhall we be able to magnify him, for he is great above all his Works > The ' Lord is terrible , and very great, and mar- vellous in his Tower. When you glorify the Lord, exalt him as much as you can for even yet will he far exceed, and when you exalt him, fut forth all your S'.rength, and be not weary, for you can never go far enough. Who hath Jeen him, that he might tell us ? and wfw can magnify him as he is ? There are yet hid greater Tilings F 2 than E R M o N s on SERM. than thefe be, for we have feen but a few III. of his Works. He therefore muft be juft and righteous, and that in a moft eminent Manner, for this is a Part of thole glorious Perfections which make him be what he is : And if fb, there muft be a fufficient Reafon for every thing he does, whether we are able to find out that Reafon, or no. Now, becaufe the making thofe Afflidi- ons we fuffer in this Life an Argument a- gainft the Juftice of God implies that Man is innocent, and therefore more juft than God, becaufe a righteous Man will not pu- nifli another without ajuftCaufe, this Sup- pofition alfb proceeds from an Ignorance of ourfelves as well as of God. Whatever Light a vain Fancy, and a bloated Imagi- nation, may have plac'd us in, and how in- nocent and righteous foever we may appear in our own Glafs, yet if we will look into .ourfelves with an exaft Scrutiny, and dili- gently view this Body of Sin which we in- habit ; if we will but trace our natural De- pravity to its Spring-Head, till we find that we were born in Sin, and fhapen in Iniquity, and be at the Pains to obferve the difmal Effeds of it breaking out into re- bellious Paflions, perverfe Humours, and every evil Work, we fhall foon find the Miftake; various SUBJECTS. 47 Miftake; an impartial Eye will difcover all SERM. thofe Deformities, which a too good Opinion of HI. ourfelves has always plac'd in a wrong Light. The Scripture and our own Conferences have concluded all under Sin. Who, fays the wife Man, can fay, I have made my Heart clean, I am free from my Sin > And this is the Cafe not only of Sinners, but of good Men too and when Men are truly fenfible of this, it is a fign that they are good. What is Man, tiysEl/pbaz, that he Jhonld be clean, and he which is born of a Worn an, that he Jkould be righteous ? Behold, he futteth no Trufl in his Saints, yea the Hea- vens are not clean in his Sight ; hovj much more abominable and filthy is Man, who drinketh Iniquity like Water ! And, fays Eildad, Behold even to the Moon and it Jhineth not, t yea, the Stars are not fare m his Sight ' y how much lefs Man, that is a Worm, and the Son of Man, 'juhich is a Worm ! So that had we right Notions of God, and of ourfelves, we fhould not make the Afflictions which happen to us in this Life an Argument againft the Juftice of God -, for then we fhould be convinced, that as God is infinite in every Refpect, in WiiHom and Juftice, as well as in every thing elfe, and is therefore a Being of all poflible 48 S E R M o N s on SERM. poffible Perfedions, there muft be a fuffi- c ' ent ^ ea * n f r tne & Things ; and a true Knowledge of ourfelves would give us the Reafon, a Reafbn fufficient to juftify God in his Proceedings, and convince us, that whatever we undergo in this Life is no more than we might expecl: as the Confequence of our Guilt : Why then Jhould a living Man comflain, as the Prophet fays, a Man for the Turiifhment of his Sins ? Or, why fhall the righteous Lord be accounted un- juft for punifhing us according to our De- ierts ? or mortal Man be morejuft than G^od for deferving it ? Tho* we can't trace out the Footfteps of the Divine Providence, and when we labour under any Afflictions, after our utmoft Care and Endeavour to preferve our Integrity, may, with Job, want to know the Caufe of fuch Proceedings, yet 'tis enough that we are guilty j 'tis fufficient to anfwer all Objections againft the Juftice of God, that we have deferv'd them, tho' perhaps they are not lent as the immediate Con- fequence of Sin, but as Trials to exercile our Patience and Humility, or for fome ci- ther Reafon which we are not able to di cover. For if Afflictions were always the Confequence of Sin, wicked Men could then expecl: various Su B j E c T s. 49 but little Content and Satisfaftion, SERM. their Life would then be one continued Scene of Trouble j whereas the contrary to this is very often true, good Men being fometimes more afflicted than they ; and tho' none are, ftriftly fpeaking, fo good as not to deferve Punifhment, yet, as there are better than others, they that are fo would, by this Rule, have leaft of it. But this is not al- ways the Cafe j Job's Friends were there- fore very much miftaken, when they aflerted that good Men only were profperous, and that the Wicked were the only airlifted Men in this Life, and conlequen^v that good and bad Men were always to be known by the Comforts or Troubles that happened to them ^ for tho' this may fometimes be true, yet that it is no conftant Rule and Me. thod of God's Proceedings Job plainly ihews from Hiftory and good Obfervation. If this Opinion be true, he wants to be in- form'd why many Avicked Men enjoy the good Things of this Life, and want neither Power nor Might, nor old Age to prolong or encreafe their Enjoyment, their Children are provided for, and they are not difturb'd in their Habitations, they fpend their Days in Pleafure, uninterrupted with Pain or Sick- nefs, and go eafily and quietly to their Graves. TO SERMONS on SERM. Graves. One dies in an Affluence of Wealth and Profperity ; and another, perhaps a better Man than him, after a tedious Life of Sorrow, expires in Anguiih and Tortures infuppcrtable. Wherefore, fays he, do the Wicked Jive, become old, yea, are mighty in Tower, and their Seed is eftabifod in their Sight^with them, and their Offspring before their Eyes .> Their Houfes are fafe from Fear, neither is the Rod of God nfon them; they take the Timbrel and Harp, and rejoice at the Sound of the Organ-, they (fend their Days in Wealth, and in a Moment go down to the Grave* One dieth in hi s full Strength, being wholly at Eafe and Quiet ; and another dieth in the Bitternefs of his Soul, and never eateth with Tleafure. They ffiall lie down alike in the Duft, and the Worms Jhall cover them. When David faw the Profperity of the Ungodly, that they were -not in Trouble like other Men, it ib tenderly affected him, that he could not forbear breaking out into this paflionate Complaint, Verily I have cleaned my Heart in vain, I have wafttd my Hands in Innocency ; for all the Day long have I been flagued, andchajlned every Morning. And Jeremiah was fo perplex'd with the Thoughts of this, that tho' he would various SUBJECTS. fi (Would not accuie God oflnjuftice, whatever SERM. happen'd, but fays, Righteous art thov, O Lord, when I f lead wth ihee ! Yet in the Very fameVerfe he can't forbear enquiring in- to the Reafon of it. Tet let me talk with thee of thy Judgments, fays he : Wherefore does the Way of the Wicked fr off er ? Where- fore are all they haffy that deal treache- roujly .> This indeed has troubled the Thoughts of many good Men in ail the Ages of the World, and 'tis founded entire- ly upon this mifhken Principle, That Afflic* tions are always Tokens of God's Difplea- iure, and that the Comforts of Life are al- ways Marks of Favour : And this is fb fir from being always true, that the Reverie of it is very often fb ; at leaft theie Things are often fb promifcuoufly diftributed, as to leave no Room for any fuch Ccnclufion. Hence fome have form'd an Objection, not .againft the Juftice, but againft the very Be- ing of a God. Att Things come alike to alJ^ fay they, there is one Event to the Righte- ous and to the Wicked ; to the Good and to the Glean, and to the Unclean ; to him that facrifceth, and to him that facrifceth not : As is the Good, fo is the Sinner , and he that faeareth, as he that fear eth anOath. Upon which Account they prefently con- G elude, fi SERMONS^/? SERM. elude, that 'tis to no Purpofe for them to obferve their Duty, or to take any manner of Care about regulating their Life and Manners, for that it all turns to one Ac- count, the Effect is juft the fame, do what they will But now, in Anfvver to this, let it be obferv'd that the Happinefs or Mifery of a Man does not always appear by his outward State and Condition j there is no true Judgment to be made of his being happy by his being profperous and rich in the World, and enjoying his Heart's Defire ; for when a Man, full of Ambition and Re- venge, thrives in the World, and has it in his Power to follow the natural Bent of his Inclinations, theMifchiefs that enfue plain- ly fhew that Prolperity was fent him as a Curie : Nor can a Man be pronounced mile- rable from the Troubles and Difappoint- mentshe meets with; thefe Things are moft commonly lent for the Trial of a Man's Vir- tue, or to fubdue fome growing Vice, and they will prove good or otherwife to a Man, according to the Ufe he makes of them ; fo that neither the one nor the other are Marks of God's Favour or Difpleafure always. But to proceed. The Afflictions which happen to us in this Life are no Objections againft various SUBJECTS. T3 Sgainft the Juftice of God, becaufehe made SERM. us, and confequently has a Right to deal with us as he pleafes. God gave us Life his own free Gift, without our Defire or Deferving ; for we could neither do the one nor the other, when as yet we were not, when we had not a Being to defire or de- ferve it in : He therefore muft certainly have a R'ght to allot us to what fort or kind of Life he mall think moft proper and con- venient ; for the Act of creating us implies in it alfo a Right of governing us. And this is further evinc'd from the Confidera- tion of our own State and Condition, which is a State of Dependance, weak and defec- tive, which implies in it a Want of Help and Succour ib that whatever happens to us in this Life can be no Objection againil the Juftice of God, becaufe it comes from him who alone has a Right to difpofe of us. Indeed, were we altogether free from Sin, \ve might have Ibme Plea for defiring a Life of Eafe and Happinels, exempted from the common Cafuaities of which every Man living has his Share. But even then, could not God do what he pleas'd with his own ? Shall the Thing form'd fay to him that form'd it, Why haft thou made me thus ? Shall we pretend to direft the Almighty in G 2 . hi 74 SERMONS 0# SERM. his Difpenfations, or teach him what is IH. per for him to do ? Is this the Way we* take in our own Affairs ? Are we willing to be taught by our Inferiors ? Do we not on the contrary too often hate Counfel, and defpife Reproof, even from thofe whom w0 ourfelves acknowledge to be wife ? Shall we then pretend to guide the Hand of Provi- dence, and point out the Way for him, whofe Footfteps are not known ? 'Tis to> confound our vain Curiofity, and to mani- feft his own Glory, that God fometimes works an Effed beyond the Reach of all human Apprehenfion. So that, tho' he is a Being infinitely good and juft, and there- fore will not do any thing inconliitent with Goodnefs and Juftice, yet he is infinitely \vife too, and therefore is above any Rules \ve ihall think fit to prelcribe, and confe-. quently will not be accountable to us for any of his Ways ; fo that all our bufy En- quiries about thefe Things muft be refblv'd into the Will of God, which is fufficient to filence ail theDifputers of this World. When the Diiciples favv the Man that was born tlind, they immediately concluded that it was the Effect of ibme remarkable Sin of fiim or his Parents ; and accordingly ask'd our Saviour, faying, Maficr^ who did Jin^ this various SUBJECTS. 5*5* this Man, Or his 'Parents, that he was SERM born blind ? But to let them fee that there were other Reafons for it than they were aware of, Jefus anfwer'd, Neither hath this Man finned, nor his ^Parents, but that the Works of God jhould be made manifeft in him, i. e. They were not guilty of any par- ticular heinous Sin, for which they thought this Affliction was fent, as a Judgment, but that the Glory of God might be made ma- nifeft in reftoring his Sight. But, perhaps, it will be faid, that to re-* folve thefe Things into the Will of God, inftead of clearing the Difficulty, is the only Way to make it the more perplexing. This may leem coo arbitrary a Way of proceeding to make it fatisfaftory to Reafon : For they that call in Queftion the Juftice of God in this Cafe, will probably ask, how that can. be cleared up by refblving Things into an. arbitrary Will ? For if it be unjuftfor good Men to furfer Afflictions, 'tis not the faying, it is the Will of God to have it fo, that can make it otherwife, that can alter the Nature of Things, and make that juft which is in itfelf unjuii The Potter has indeed Power over the Clay, and accordingly makes what he pleafes of it ; but then it may be laid, The Clay is not an* intelligent Being, nor capable $6 S E R M O N S OH SERM. capable of Pain or Pleafure, Happinefs or III. Mifery ; and therefore can have no Wrong " or Injuftice done it. To all which let it be anfwer'd, that if the Will of God was capable of having a wrong Biafs put upon it, like that of Man, there would be a great deal of Strength in the Objection ; for then whatever was left to the Will, would be left to all the Mifchief that could poflibly proceed from a wrong Judgment, which> if the Will is determin'd by the Judgment, as it neceflarily is, will have the Direction of it in its Turn, as well as a right one. But the Cafe is otherwife , for the Will of God, as it has an infinitely perfecl: Mind belonging to it, is incapable of being in- fluenc'd but by the infinite Truth of Things. Whatever, therefore, is left to the Will of God, is left to infinite Wifdom, infinite Goodnefs, and infinite Truth, and there- fore may very fafely be relied on. Which brings me, Secondly, To mew, that the LefTon moft proper and natural to be learnt from this, is, not to murmur and repine at any thing that befalls us, but to fubmit ourfelves and our Caufe to God. Since Affli&ions are not al- ways Evils, and, if they were, are however CO various SUBJECTS. fro more than what we have deferv'd, we ihould humble ourfelves under the mighty Hi- Hand of God, who is infinitely wife, and therefore beft knows what is moil proper for us, and infinitely juft and good, and therefore will not afflict us without a fuffi- cient Reafon for fb doing. That we can't find out the Reafon is no Wonder, becaufe it is one of thole Secrets of Providence which will not be unfolded in this Life, any further than this, in general, that it is fbme how or other for our Advantage, and yet, by a pro- per Submiffion and Refignation to the Will of God, it is the fame thing as if we could find it out. For as God is a Being infinite every Way, by a proper Submiffion to him, we have the fame Complacency and Satis- faction of Mind as if we faw the Reafon ex- plicitly laid before us ; whereas to murmur and repine, is to cut ourfelves off from this Benefit, 'tis to diftruft God, and deny the Reafon of his Proceedings : And as it is foun- ded in Unbelief, fo it ought to be fubdued with all poffible Speed ; eipecially if we con- fider, that we profefs ourfelves Chriftians, have taken up the Crofs, and muft behave ourielves like the Difciples of Chrift. We have promiled to renounce the Pomps and Vanities of the World, we can't therefore expect E R M O N S 0# exped a Life of Eafe and Satisfaction without JII. a Mixture of Sorrows and Calamities, nor to arrive at perfect Happinefs but thro* much Tribulation. This Argument, one would think, fhouldmake us eafy under all Afflic- tions. Indeed 'tis eafy for them who feel no Pain or Anxiety to forbear Complaints ; for,. as Job lays, Doth the wild Ajs bray when he hath Grafs ? or loweth the Ox over his Fodder > Yet ftill what will it fignify to itrive againft God ; for he giveth not Ac- count of a ny of his Matters ? What will it froft to opfofe our f ekes to the Almighty . J Who hath hardened himfelf againft him and hath froffered ? Behold, he taketh away^ who can hinder him ? who will fay unto him, What doefl thou > If we ffeak of Strength^ lo he is ftrong j and if of Judg- ment , whojballfet us a Time to f lead? In 3 Word, and to conclude, let us fubmit our- felves to God in every Condition of Life, and take care how we iuipeft the Juftice of his Proceedings before we know the Whole of Things. At prefent we know only in part> a future State will reconcile all thole Diffi-* culties, and demonftrate, after all our rafh and unwarrantable Complaints, that the righteous Lord LovethRighteoitfaej '>, his Conn* tenant will behold the Thing that is juft. SER- SERMON IV. GEN. iii. 15-. .And 1 will put Enmity between thee and the Woman, and be- tween tly Seed and her Seed ; it Jball bruife thy Head., and thou f/jalt bruife his Heel. N this Chapter we have a fhort, but furprizing, Account of the Fall of Man, which introduc'd all the Sin and Mifery that has ever fince been fpreading itfelf over the Face of the whole Earth. No fboner do we behold the happy Pair pure and upright, as they came from the Hands of their Maker (and happy indeed had it been for them, and for us, had they continued fb !) but presently the Scene is changed, and they, who before \vere wont to be blefs'd with the Divine H Preience, IV. 60 S E K M o N s on SZRM. Prefence, now hide themfelves from the Pre- ^JV^ fence of the Lord God among the Trees of the Garden. Unhappy Change ! That heavenly Voice, that once left fuch pleaiing and delightful Sounds behind, is now be- come a Voice of Fear and Terror: I heard thy Voice in the Garden^ fays Adam, and I was afraid, becaufe I ivas naked, and I hid niyfelf. Naked indeed ! when his na- tive Innocence was gone, and he had thrown off the beautiful Garment of an upright Mind. Thus thole, whom we lee in the foregoing Chapter at the Head of the Crea- tion, the Favourites of Heaven, who were thought worthy to appear before God, and receive his Orders and Commands in Perfon, we find, in the Compafs of a few Lines, ffonding before God, that very God by whom they were once fo highly favour'd, in order to receive Sentence for their Difobe- d'ence, of which Death was before threat- ned as the Penalty. But God, whofe Pro- perty is always to have Mercy, came down in Pity as well as Judgment, and foften'd the Penalty with a moil gracious Promile^ That tho' they had incurred the Penalty of Death, and involv'd themfelves in a great deal of Trouble and Affliction, yet in the End they fhould get out of it all, and come off various SUBJECTS. 61 sri&orious. For when Sentence was pafs'd SERM. upon the Serpent, and he was pronounced 'VI. curled above all Cattle, and above every Eeaft of the Field, and commanded to go upon his Belly, and eat Duft all the Days of his Life, it follows, And I will pit En- mity between thee and the Woman, and between thy Seed and her Seed ; it Jhall Iruife thy Head, and thou jhalt bruife his Heel-, i. e. Tho' thou haft deceived her now under the Shew of Friendfhip, yet hereafter file fhall be convinced that thou art not a Friand, but an Enemy ; and, accordingly, there lhallbe Enmity and Variance between you, and between thy Offspring and hers- her Offspring fhaU fruftrate and difappoint thy malicious Contrivances and Deigns, and thou fhalt only be able to do fome bodily Hurt in return. This, I think, is meant by bruifing the Heel ', bccaufe when it is laid, the Seed of the Woman fo all hn^e the $erfent y s Head, if by that is meant, as it moft certainly is, that it fhall fruftrate the grand Defigns of that old Serpent the Devil^ which were to deftroy the \\holc human Race, and which no doubt he thought he had effeded when he had feduc'd the Wo- man, imagining that the Sentence of Death, which was the Penalty of DifobeJience, H 2 would 6l S E R M O N S OH SERM. would extend to the Soul as well as the IV. Body, and fo not being able to gain his Purpofe this Way, and yet being to have ibme Advantage ftill, that muft be fuppos'd to relate to the Body, fignified, figuratively, by the Heel. I know the Bruiling of the Heel is confin'd by Ibme to the Sufferings of our blefled Sav'ionr in his human Nature ; but tho' it is more eminently true in that Senfe, yet there feems to be no Reafon to confine it to that only, becaufe, as we are able to bruife the Serpent's Head by his Af- fiftance, tho' he is the principal Agent, Ib tho' he was the principal Sufferer, and the Serpent bruis'd his Heel in a more particu- lar Manner, yet his Power over the Body extends to the whole human Race. I fhall not wafte fo much of your Time, or my own, as to give you a Detail of all the Opinions that have been conceiv'd about the Fall of Man; but, taking it for granted, .that the Bible ftands at leaft upon as good a Bottom of Truth as any prophane Author, I fhall prove, , I. The Certainty of it ; which will make yay in the II. Place, various SUBJECTS, 6% II. Place, to fhew the Certainty of Man's SERM. Recovery, founded upon the Prophefy in the Text. III. I ihall fhew what \ve are to learn from thefe two Things. Firft, then, I am to prove the Certainty of the Fall of Man. We are told, in the firft Chapter ofGeneJts, that God made Man in his own Image, after his own Likenefs; and that he law every thing that he had made, and Man among the reft, and behold it was very good. The next Thing we meet with is, that the Lord God planted a Garden Eaftward in Eden, and there he put the Man whom he had form'd : In this Garden was every Tree that was pleafant to the Sight, and good for Food, which was allow'd to be made ufe of; but in the midft of it were two Trees, the Tree of Life, and the Tree of Knowledge of Good arid Evil, which laft was forbidden to be eaten of, upon Pain of Death. Of every Tree of the Garden thou may* ft freely eat y but of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil thqn Jhalt not eat of it ; for in the Day that thou eatefl thereof thou Jhalt fitrely 6 4- SERMONS on SF.RM- farely die. But, notwithstanding this, we .IV. find the Serpent feducing the Woman, and telling her, That if they did eat it they fhould not die, but be as Gods, knowing Good and Evil. So that when the Woman faw that the Tree was good for Food, and that it was fleafant to the Eyes, and a Tree to be dejired to make one wife, Jbe took of the Fruit thereof and did eat, and gave alfo unto her Bus hand with her, and he did fat ; and, as a Confirmation of their Guilt, we find them, in the next Verfe, hiding themfelves from the *P re fence of the Lord God amottgft the Trees of the Garden. This is the Scripture Account of it; and a very plain and clear one it is. If this be disbeliev'd, it muft be ? either becaufe it can be obviated by fome other Part of Scrip- ture, or elfethat it implies fomeAbfurdity orContradi&ion, As to thefirft, the Scrip, ture is fo far from obviating this any where, that it abundantly confirms it. St Taul fays exprefly, that by one Man Sin enter' d into the World, and Death by Sin. And in an older Book than any befides in the Bible, J mean^ Job, Zofhar traces Wickednefs and Mifery up to the firft Man. Then, as to the fecond, it is fo'far from implying any Abfurdity or Contradiction, efpecially if we take along with us the Account of Man's Recovery, various SUBJECTS. 6s Recovery, which is given us in the Text, that it is the belt, if not the only Informa- tion we have of our true State and Condi- tion. It accounts for the two contrary Prin- ciples that are within us, and makes the whole Scheme of Religion one uniform con- fiftent Thing ; whereas, if we lay afide this, we have no other Account of thele Things Who can pretend to account for the Original of Evil without it ? That God could make nothing evil is plain, be- caufe he is a Being of infinite Perfection ; every thing rhat he made then muft be good, and accordingly we find it was fb ; for he pronounced it to be fb, after he had made them. Well then, what Account do we give of Evil ? How came That into the World ? Since it could not come from God, from whence mould it come, but from fome Deviation from his Laws ? No doubt of it, when God made Man in his own Image, he gave him a better Body to dwell in than what we have at pre- fent ; for tho' it is the Soul, by which we are faid to be made in his own Image, and after his own Likenefs, yet 'tis very rea- Ibnable to fuppofe that fuch a Soul had a Partner more fuitable to it than what it has at preient. Such a heaven-born Mind could not 66 SERMONS on .SERM. not be cloath'd with the tatter'd Garments IV. ^ of Flefh and Blood in all its preient Infirmi- ' ties, and the innumerable Variety of Di orders which it is now fubjed to. When you fee an afflicted Mortal labouring under the PrefTure of fome ftubborn and incurable Difeaie, longing to throw off his Houfe of Clay, and to get free from the loathfome Prifon of his Body j to whom Life is the greateft Torment, and whatever can put the Ipeedieft End to it the greateft Happinef^ and Comfort ; can you think fuch a one came thus from the Hands of his Maker? View him again, and fee whether this be like the firlt Man in his State of Innocence, in the Image and Likenefs of God ? We find by Mofes's Account, at leaft we may very rationally infer fo much, that Man had not died, had he not tranfgrefs'd ; and if fo, furely a Body not fubjed to Death muft be of a very different Make from what it is at prefent. Whence then fhould this Dropfy, that Fever, with a Multitude of other Diforders, that are perfed Health and Eafe, compar'd with the more intenfe Pains of fome acute Difeafes that exercife their Tyranny over this earthly Body, proceed ? From natural Caufes, you'll fay. But how came^Nature fo corrupted, fmce it was at firft various SUBJECTS. 6? firft pronounced good ? We know, nothing SERM. can come from God but what is good. Whence then comes Evil ? This can never be accounted for from Reafon ; and yet till it be accounted for, there can be no fuch Thing as true Religion; for till we know from what Cauie Evil fprings, 'tis impofli- ble to tell how to avoid or prevent it, or find a Remedy for it. What adifmal State then muft this be, to be furrounded with all ibrts of Evil, natural and moral, without knowing how we came by them, or how to get rid of them ! But now if we take the Scripture Account of it, 'tis all eafy and natural : Man was made good and up- right, but he tranfgrefs'd that Command- ment, of which Death was threatened as a Penalty. Immediately the whole Frame of his Conftitution was corrupted, and thus all natural and moral Evils were firft introduc'd into the World. But ftill not without a Re- medy ; for tho' the Evil fpreads to a great Degree, yet the Good works on at the fame Time, and will at laft prevail and get the better of it. All People have been forced to allow, that there is a great deal of Evil in theWorld ; but becauie they could not charge it upon God, nor tell how to account for it other- I wife, 68 SERMONS on ERM. "wife* hence arofe a very early Opinion of IV two independent Principles, the one of Good, the other of Evil. But this can't be iuppos'd without implying a direct Contra- diction ; for two fuch Powers, equally re- filling each other, could produce neither .Good nor Evil. And there is but little Reafbn in another Opinion, which feme have had, /. e. The Dodrine of a pre-exiftent State ; for as that is only a Conjecture, fo whatever follows from it will amount to no more. If it be laid that God could have made Man ib up- right that he fhould not have fallen, I fay, fuppoiing this could be done, and that, ac- cording to our View of Things, it would be right that it mould be fo, yet who mail fay, that what we think to be right, he fhall think Ib too ? Or, who mall ask him, What doeft thou ? We muft take our Be- ings as we find them, and be content with them upon fuch Conditions as they are given us. I come now, Secondly, To fhew the Certainty of his Recovery, founded upon the Prophecy in the Text of the Seed of the Woman. / will fut Enmity between thee and the Woman , and between thy Seed and her Seed-, itjhatt bntifc various SUBJECTS. 69 bniife thy Head^ and thou foalt bruife his SERM. Heel. This is the firft and moft glorious _, _~ Prophecy that ever was given to Man, no leis than a Prophecy of his Redemption from that State of Death and Miicry into which he was unhappily fallen ; which, tho' it gave but a fmall glimmering Light at firft, yet is it the fame Prophecy that Ihined brighter and brighter in After- Ages, till it was at laft accomplifh'd in a full Blaze at the Birth of the Meffiah (as on this Day) that blefled Seed of the Woman, in whom, ac- cording to the fame Word of Prophecy given afterwards to Abraham^ all the Na- tions of the Earth were to be blefled. And here is the Difference, among other Things, between natural and reveal'd Religion- the one is full of Fears and Doubts, the other's Fears are fwallow'd up in Hope, the Defign of Prophecy, or of Revelation, being to con- vey Hopes to a Sinner. That the Prophecy in the Text relates to the Redemption of Mankind will appear very plain, if we confider that the Defign of the Serpent was to hinder Man from being immortal, or to make him immortally mi- ferable. For if his Defign was only to pro- cure him a temporal Death, then he fuc- ceeded according to his Wifh, contrary to I 2 the 70 SERMONS on SERM. the Prophecy in the Text, which foretells IV. that the Seed of the Woman fhould bruife the Serpent's Head, /. e. fruftrate all his Contrivances and Defigns ; for this, in all reaibnable ConftruHon, mult be the Mean- ing of it. This being then the Defign of the Serpent, the Prophecy in the Text plainly Ihews that he fhould not fucceed in it, but that the Seed of the Woman fhould fpoil thole Defigns, and confequently free Mankind from the Power of them. Put this in any other Light, andthereisnoSenfe in it. If we were, for Example, to take it in a literal Meaning, befides the Abfur- dity of fuppofing the Almighty to come down from Heaven in fo fblemn a Manner upon fo trifling an Occafion, as only to give the Seed of the Woman a Power to bruife the Head of a Serpent, and the Serpent a Power to bruife his Heel, which furely can never be a Sentence worthy the Divine Being to pronounce, what has this to do with the Fall of Man ? Man is reprefented here as fallen from his Duty, as a Tranfgreflbr of theexprefs Command of God, and for \vhich he is condemned, and receives his Sentence accordingly. Now what has all this to da with the Serpent's biting a Man by the Heel, or with Man's knocking him on the various SUBJECTS. 71 the Head, either of which might be done ? SERM. whether we fuppofe Man to have fallen or not ? There is no manner of Connection in this, for the Serpent is reprefented as a Delinquent, not as a Serpent, for as fuch he could not be capable of moral Right or Wrong, but only as actuated by that grand Serpent the Devil; and accordingly Sentence is paGed upon him as fuch, part of which we have here in the Text. As the Serpent then is coniider'd here only as the Emblem or Symbol of fomething elie capable of moral Wrong, and who actually had in- troduc'd it into the World, what Connection can there be in applying this to a common Serpent j capable neither of Right norWrong p He is here confider'd as a Criminal, and punifh'd as fuch, which could not be if the Serpent only was punifhed. Befides, how does this appear in Fact ? A Serpent' is not kill'd oftner than other venomous Creatures. We muft therefore neceflarily haveRecourfe to fome other Interpretation of the Words, and that is, to an Interpretation more rational and confiftent, which is indeed the plain and obvious one, That our blefled Saviour, who is moft emphatically ftil'd the Seed of the Vioman^ ftiall deftroy the Power of the Devil, and reftore thole who were held captive ?x SERMONS on SERM. captive by Sin to the glorious Liberty of IV P . the Sons of God. Before we can make it appear that our Saviour is here meant by the Seed of the Woman,we muft indeed travel through along Series of Prophecies. For tho* Mankind muft from this firft Prophecy have great Hopes of ibme extraordinary Blefling to come, yet what that ihould be, or what this Seed of the Woman ftiould mean, was not to be difcovcr'd : But afterwards, when the Pro- mife was made to Abraham, that in him 'all the Families of the Earth jhould be bleffed, which was alfo eftablifh'd with Ifaac and Jacob, and continued to Judah, and down to David, it received more and more Light, till it appear'd in its greateft Splen- dor, w r hen that Day-fpring from on High vifited us, in whom all Prophecy was cen- ter'd. That Chrift is moft eminently this Seed of the Woman, to whom all thefe an- cient Prophecies relate, we may learn from St'Paul, who, talking of the Promile made to Abraham before the Law was given > fays, Now to Abraham and his Seed were the Tromifes made -, he faith not, and to Seeds, as of many, but as of one, and to thy Seed, which is Chrift, Gal. iii. 16. And at the I^th Vcrfe, talking of God's Defign in SUBJECTS. 73 in giving the Law, he lays, Wherefore then SERM. ferveth the Law ? If was added, becaufe ofTranfgreJfions, till the Seed Jhould come to whom theTromife was made. What that Seed is, is plain from the 2(?thVerie, where thofe that belong to Chrift are faid to be of the Seed of Abraham. If ye be Chrift's* then are ye Abraham^ Seed, and Heirs ac- cording to the 'Promife. And in the 4th and jth Verfes of the next Chapter he fays exprefly, that when the Fulnefs of Time was come, God fent forth his own Son, made of a Woman, made wider the Law, to redeem them that were wider the Law, that we might receive the Adoption of Sons. Thus has the Divine Being, whom we have experienced to be infinite in Mercy, as well as in every other Attribute, when Man flood before him a Convict by the Law of Nature, and had loft all Hopes of a Recon- ciliation with God upon any further Trial of his Obedience, given him a gentler Law, and frefh Hopes of Favour, by declaring, That tho' the Serpent had drawn the Wo- man afide from her Duty, and the Man had alio join'd in the Tranfgreflion, yet that he fhould not finally prevail, but that, for the future, he would fut Enmity between his Seed and hefs \ which has been fulfiJl'd, not only 74 SERMONS on SERM. only in our Saviour, but in all good Chri- IV. ftians ever fince; and that the Seed of the Woman fhould at length prevail over him, and fhake off his Dominion ; that blefled Seed which came down from Heaven to perform the Mercy promis'd to our Fore- fathers, and to remember God's holy Co- venant ; to perform the Oath that he f wore to our Forefather Abraham, that he would give us, that we, being delivered out of the Hands of our Enemies, might ferve him ivithoutFear, in HoLinefs and Right eoufnefs before him att the Days of our Life. What we are to learn from all this, I come now, Thirdly to fliew. From the Fall of Man then we may learn how to account for all the Evil that is in the World, and by his Recovery for all the Good that is in it. To theie two Springs are reducible the Happi- nefs and Mifery of every Mortal. Every evil Thought, every vain Imagination, de- rives its Original from thence, as every good Thought and Adion, every Rivulet of Hope x from the other. And now we know the Original of Good and Evil, which, by the way, we know only by Revelation, no Scheme of Realbn whatfoever having found out this grand Secret^ various SUBJECTS. Secret, we may know both what we are, Sj and how we came to be what we are, and allb what we may be, if we pleafe ; that we are indeed Creatures of the uppermoft Rank of Beings that are upon this Globe ; but Oh ! how fallen ! how chang'd from human Nature in its State of Innocence But then, tho' our Nature have got a dif- ferent Stamp from what it received at its firft Formation^ tho' the Characters are in a great meafure obliterated, and the Divine Hand in fbme fort defac'd, yet we know that the Divine Goodnefs has put us in a Method to recover the Impreffion, and revive the Image of God, in which we were firft made, from the Injuries of Sin and Death j io good an Effed we now find from that early Prophecy, which is nowfulfill'd at theCom*. ing of Chrift, che promis'd Seed, into the World. This will naturally lead us to avoid two Things equally prejudicial to every good Man, /. e. Not to think too highly, or two meanly of ourfelves ; one leads to the high Road of Prefumption, the other to the dangerous Precipice of Delpair. As to the firft, There have not been wanting ibme who haverais/d human Nature almoft to a Level with the divine, and have made Man felf-fufficient, a Creature perfed and K inde- ' ' S E R M O N S 0;/ independent, when at the fame time every (ingle Man in the World is a Contradiction to it. But whence ihould this Perfection come ? Not from Nature, for Man broke that Law, and was condemned by it ; nor yet by any fubfequent Law, for every thin after the firft Tranfgreffion muft of courfe be upon the Foot of Grace. 'Tis monftrous therefore to entertain fuch Notions of our- felves, fo contrary to Fat and Experience, and which tend fo manifeftlyto exclude God out of thellniverfe ; for as far as we let up for Pelfe&ion in ourfelves, fo far we deny it to God. 'Tis a Perfection which we arc not to thank God for: What Sort of Perfec- tion this is, I leave to every proud Man to conlider. Nor are there wanting others, who, on the contrary, run down Mankind to a Level with Brutes, as if, because there is fbmewhat wrong in Man, there is there- fore nothing good in him. The dwelling too much upon the Confideration of Man in his fallen State, without confidering enough his Redemption again by Chrifl, has thrown many into a gloomy, melancholy Opinion of human Nature ; whereas, tho' Man is fallen, yet he is not loft ; tho' he is a Sinner, and the Law allows no Pardon, yet the Golpel does. Man is therefore upon a noble Footing {till various SUBJECTS. 77 1H11 ; for tho' he has Infirmities enough to SERM. pull down his Pride, yet, through the Gift of God, he is enabled to obtain eternal Life. In fhort, he has enough to blame j "" --" .-.-.-.- himfelf and to thank God for, which is the true State of Man, confider'd as a Chriftian. Upon the whole, let us entertain fuch No- tions of God and ourfelves, that our Hu- mility may entitle us to his Grace, and both together bring us to that Glory which, by Sin we had juftly forfeited. K z S E R- SERMON V, ACTS ii. 17. Becaufe thou wilt not leave my Soul in Hell, neither wilt tbou ftiffer thine Holy One to. fee Corruption. '\-Vv-t. Vi;? *." ^c,:*' 1 : .*. HHE Refurreftion of Jefus Chrift from the Dead is a Matter of fuch great Importance, thatChn- ftianity depends upon the Truth of it : For, as the Apoftle fays, IfChriJibe not rifetty then is our Faith vam^ we arc yet in our Sins. And therefore we find the Apoftles, when they firft fet out to preach the Gofpel, after they were endued with Power fiom on High, open'd their Com-* miffion with aflerting this great Truth \ which they maintained with a Courage fuit- able to the Dignity arid Importance of the Thing j and made it a Qualification for an Apoftlc various SUBJECTS. 79 Apoftle \vhich \vas to be chofen in the .SfR Room of Judas, That he ihould be one V. which had companied with them all the Time that the Lord Jefus was converfant among them, beginning from the Baptifm of John unto the Day that he was taken up from them, that he might be a Witnefs with them of the RefurrecUon. And in this ; Chapter, St Teter, in his firft Sermon, ad- drelTes himfelf to the Jews in this Manner^ Te Men 0f Ifrael, hear thefe Words-, Jefus of Nazareth, a Man apfrov'd of God a- mong you by Miracles, Wonders and Signs y which God did by him in the midft of you* as ye yonrfehes alfo know ; him being de- liver* d by the determinate Counfel and Fore- knowledge of God ye have taken, and by wicked Hands have crucified and /lain - whom God hath raifed uf, having loofed the Tains of Death, because it was not foffible that he Jhould be holden of it. And then takes a Quotation out of the lo'th yfalm, and applies it as a Prophecy of the Refurre&ion. For David, fays he, ffeaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my Face, for he is on my Right Hand that IJbould not be waved. Therefore did my Heart rejoice, and my Tongue was glad, Moreover alfo my Flefe/batt reft in 8o SERMONS on SERM. Hofe, becaufe thou wilt not leave my Soul V. in Hell) neither wilt thoujvffer thine Holy One to fee Corruption. The Apoftle here addreflmg himielf to the Jews, does not argue about the PoflL bility of the Refurre&ion (for they had been long enough train'd up by Miracles to know, that nothing was too hard for a n omnipotent Power ; befides, 'twas a Thing done fb lately that it muft have been well known, as appears from their not contra- dicting it) but declares and maintains the Certainty of it, and refers them to their own Prophet for their farther Satisfaction. Before I come to handle the Doctrine which I lhall draw from this Text, I think it will be proper to make the Way to it as clear as I can ; and therefore I fliall lay be- fore you the moil confiderable Interpreta- tions which have been given of thefe Words, that you may fee which has the beft Right to be the true. Some are of Opinion that the Soul in this Place is put figuratively for the Body y and that Hell fignifies the Grave ; and to maintaiu theirOpinion, have produced feveral Texts of Scripture in which thele two Words are thus underftood. But tho' this be very true in thole Places, yet it don't feem to be the various SUBJECTS. 81 the Signification or Meaning of the Word SRX in this ; for then they would ftand thus, V. Tfjou Jbalt not leave my Body in the Grave, nor faffer thine Holy One to fee Corrup- tion. Now here we may fee the Abfur- dity of leaving the literal Senie of Scrip- ture without a Neceffity for fo doing for according to this Interpretation, there is no Mention made of the Soul of Chrift at all, without which to animate it again, the Body mult have been ftill left in the Grave ; for if it had rifen again with another Soul, it would not have been a true Refur- redion. So that if the Soul in this Place be not taken in a literal Senfe, then it is not taken into this Interpretation at all, and confequently there could have been no Re- furredion of the Soul with the Body. For the Soul can't be implied in the latter Part of the Text, neither (half thou fujfer thine Holy One to fee Corrupt ion ^ becaufe the Soul could not fee Corruption ; and if the Soul were not rifen, as it could not be if the Body only was rifen, then there could be no Refurredion, and fo it could not anfwer the Prophet's Hope and Ex- pedation. Others are of Opinion, that by HeU we are to underftand the Tlace of Departed Souls \ 8x SERMONS on SERM. Souls ; but that Chrift did not go there V. locally but virtually. And then the Text w ill ftand thus ; Thou wilt not leave my Soul in Helly or in the feparate State of departed Souls, where it never was, nor fuffer thine Hofy One to fee Corruption > which Interpretation founds very harfh and inconfiftent. For if it was there only vir- tually, then it could not be there fo as to juftify the Expreffion cf not being left there ; for a Thing can't be faid to be ta- ken away, or not to be left in the Place^ where it never was., only in a virtual Man- ner. If this were true, it muft have been exprefs'd after this Manner, Thou wilt not fuffer my Soul to go into Hell y inftead of faying it would not be left, where it never had been before. Befides, this is dire&ly contrary to Scripture ; for our blelfed Sa- viour promifed the penitent Thief juft before his Death, that that *Day he fhouldbe with him infaradife y and as he was giving up the Ghoft, he laid, Father, into thy Hands I commend my Spirit. Others again are of Opinion, that Hell fignifies a Tlace cf Torments, or the State of the Damned ; and that there it was where the Soul of Chrift was not to be lefr. But if we look into the Reafons that are given for various SUBJECTS. 83 for it, we fliall be able to give a better Judgment of this Interpretation. Now one Reafon forChrift's going into thatState is laid to be, To fuffer there; but for what? To lave others from it ? That he did to all Intents and Purpofes by his Death. Another Rea- fon that is given for it is, That he went there to triumph over the Powers below ; but this allb was finifh'd upon the Crols. But all this is founded upon a Suppofition that the original Word, which we tranflate Hell, is always taken in a bad Senfe, which I think is falle, as I lhall Ihew by and by ; and therefore it is at beft only an Argument drawn from a Suppofition that wants to be proved. Others are of Opinion, that by the Soul is meant the rational Soul, and that Hell fignifies the State of departed Souls ; and ac- cordingly this Interpretation ftands thus > Thou ivilt not leave my Soul, i. e. my real rational Soul in the State of departed Sculs^ neither wilt thou fuffer thine Holy One to fee Corruftion j i. e. neither wilt thou leave his Body to corrupt in the Grave. And this leems to claim the greateft Right to be the true Meaning of the Words : For the original Word always fignifies the le- parate State of the Dead in general. Virgil and others conftantly ufe it in that Senfe ; L and 84 SERMONS*?;/ SERM. and tho' it may be fometimes taken in a V. good Senfe, and fomerimes in a bad, yet 'tis very rarely taken in either, and never fo as to exclude the largeft Senfe of it. However, let thofe Interpretations be as different as they will in other Refpefts, yet all agree in this, that the Words of the Text are a Pro- phecy of the Refurreftion of Jefus Chrift from the Dead ; and accordingly in my fol- lowing Difcourfc I fhall I. Prove them fo to be. II. lihall prove that Jefus Chrift did really and truly rife from the Dead, accord- ing to this Prophecy. III. I iliall {hew what will be the Benefit of Chrift's Refurre&ion to us. Ftrft, then, I am to prove that theWords of the Text are a Prophecy of the Refur- recV-ion. That the Prophecy here before us could not relate to David is plain from hence, that he did fee Corruption and this the Apoftle urges to the Jews, in the Words immediately following the Text, that they might not think that David pro- phefied of" himfelf. Men and Brethren^ fays various SUBJECTS. 8? fays he, let me freely jfeak to you of the SERM. ''Patriarch David, that he is both dead and ^l-. buried^ and his Sefulchre remaineth with us unto this Day : 'Therefore feeing he was a 'Prophet, and knew that God had fworn with an Oath to him, that of the Frifit of his Loins, according to the Flejb, he would raije up Chrifl to ft ufon his Throne : He knowing this before, fpake of the Refur- reffiion of Chrifl, that his Soul fhould not be left in Hell, neither his Flejb fhould fee Corruption ; neither could this Prophecy relate to any one elle fince that Time, be- caufe every one fince (our blefled Saviour excepted) has alfo feen Corruption. It is plain then that it muft relate to one who did not fee Corruption, which was Chrift, But to proceed. 'Tis a ftrong Argument with me that thele Words are a Prophecy of the Reiurredion, becaufe David makes it the Reafon of his Hope that he fhould not be fhaken, or left helplefs. Therefore, fays he, my Heart is glad, and my Glory re- jotceth, my Flejb alfo Jball reft in Hope, bc- caufe thou wilt not leave my Soul in Hell, neither wilt thou fuffer thine Holy One to fee Corruption. Now what could it be to him, whether any one did or did not fee Corruption, unlefs he had forefeen the Re- L 2 furre&ion 86 SERMONS on SERM. furre&ion of fome one from the Dead, that V. would be an Advantage to him ? How ^ could his Flefh reft in Hope, unlefs he had had fome Ground for his Hope ? But now feeing, as the Apoftle fays, he '^as a Tro~ fhet, and knew that God had f&orn \zith an Oath to him, that of the Fruit of his Loins, according to the flejh, he ^ould raife up Chrift to fit upon his Throne, here was fufficient Ground for his Hope. Upon the Whole, 'tis a mean Way of Reafoning^ that fome have got, to throw afide an Argu- ment merely becaufe they don't like it, with- out being able to fubftitute another in the Room of it, that has any more Strength in it than only what they wifh it to have. Let this Prophecy then be allowed to be ful- filled, or elie let thofe who object againft it lay down fome other certain Rules, by which we may know when a Prophecy is fulfilled, and when not. II. I come now, in the fecond Place, to prove that Jefus Chrift did really and truly rife from the Dead according to this Pro- phecy ; which, being a Matter of Facl, de- pends entirely upon Evidence. Here then it will be proper to enquire what Evidence we have for this Fad, and whether they have various SUBJECTS. 87 have the proper Qualifications necefiary for SERM. an Evidence in this Cafe. And then, in the next Place, whether there be any Evidence on the other Side ; and if fo, whether they be rightly qualified to give Teftimony in this Matter. But before I do this, I think it will be proper to premife, that about the Time of our Saviour's Coming into the World the Jews look'd for fome great Prophet, according to Mofes's Prediction ; and the chief Priefts, and Scribes, and learned in the Law, fent from Jerusalem to ask John the Baptift, whether he was that Prophet, /. e. which Mofes gave them Rea- fbn to expect ; and many concluded that Chrift was that Prophet, becaule, as they laid, no one could do the Miracles which he did, exceft God were with him. And St Teter tells the Jews, that he was af- f roved of God among them with great Works, and Wonders, and Signs that God did by 'him ; as ye yourfefoes alfo know, fays he. Here he appeals to their own Know- ledge ; and we find they did not deny it, but immediately upon it receiv'd the Word gladly, and the fame Day there were ad" ded unto them about three thousand Souls. And he himfelf allb, when the Jews asked him, whether he was the Chrift y appeal'd to 88 SERMONS on SERM. to his Works; They, fays he, bear Witnefs Y"' of me. And 'tis evident what a good Opi- ^^^^ nion many had of the Works he had done from this-Saying, When Chr'tfl cometh will he do more Miracles than thefe which this Man hath done ? From all which it is plain that they took him to be ibme very extraordinary Perfbn. And the Uie I pro. pofe to make of it is this, That upon the Strength of this Opinion of his Works, when he foretold of his rifmg again the third Day, they, thought it would come to pafs ; and accordingly were in Expe&ation of it, as appears from the Precaution they us'd to prevent it, viz. by fealing a Stone, and fet- ting a Watch. Now, while the Jews ex- peded he would rife, the Apoftles, on the other hand, thought he would not, but that they had with him loft all the Hopes he had ever given them : For as yet they knew not the Serif tures that he muft rife again from the Dead. So that from the Expecta- tion of the Jews on the one hand, and the no Expectation of the Apoftles on the other ? there is no room to fufped a Collufion in this Matter ; and I think it is a corroborat- ing Argument of the Fad, it being now brought as far as a Probability, and wants nothing but to be ripe for better Proof. And various SUBJECTS. 89 And I chufe to mention this here, becauie SERM. the Matter of Fa& is a diftinft Thing, and ought to be tried by itfelf. Another Thing I think proper to premife is, That no Objections about the Difficulties, that may be thought to attend this Event, can affect the Argument at all, becaufe this is notaSubjed ofPhiloibphy, but a Matter of Evidence. And tho' fuch Objections are eafily anfwer'd by fhewing what a vaft Extent of Knowledge it muft require to be able to pronounce concerning the Poffibility and Impoilibility of Things, and how much we fall fhort of this Knowledge, and alfb how many thoufand Things there are in Nature which we meet with every Day of our Lives, the very Poffibility of whofe Exiftence or Operations we fhould doubt of, did we not fee them with our Eyes, and therefore are fatisned of the Truth of them, notwithftanding any feeming Diffi- culties or Impoffibilities to the contrary; yet if the Matter of Fad is proved, all things of this Kind are out of the Queftion. Suppofe a Man fhould ftart a thoufand Diffi- culties concerning the Soul's re-animating the Body, what will an Argument drawn from hence prove ? It will prove his Ig- norance of the Thing, it's true, but it can never 90 S E R M O N S 0# SERM. never be Proof againft the Thing itlelf ; ft can never be Proof againft a Matter of Fad* 'Tis but to apply the Argument to fome- thing of a like Nature, and we lhall eafily lee the Abfurdity of it. We can't, for. Ex- ample, anfvver all the Difficulties that may be ftarted about Gravitation, the Attraction of the Loadftone, &c. What then ? Is there therefore no fuch Thing at all ? No, we can't lay fb, becaule we know there is. And this may be carried through all the other Myfteries of Nature, which we hardly know any thing of, and yet believe to be true. We ought therefore to anfwer all the Diffi- culties in one Cafe before we ftart any in another ; or ihew why the fame kind of Evidence fhould not have a Right to ou r Aflent in both Gales. We are here to judge of what we do know, and not of what we do not. The Truth or Falfity of this Matter depends upon the Fad : If it be not true, then there is no Need to talk of Difficulties ; if it be true, which will appear by the Evi- dence, then the Fad which we do know ought to have greater Weight with us than theDifficulties which we do not know. I don't lay this, as if Objections of this Kind were not to be anfsver'd ; for, as I have already ob- ierv'd, 'tis eafily done j but becaufe com- mon various SUBJECTS. 91. inon People are not fo good Judges of thefe Things as they are of Matters of Fad : And therefore they fhould not leave a necefTary convincing Argument for what is not fo necelTary nor fb much to thePurpoie. This will bring the Thing into a narrow Com- pafs, and upon this Foot there will be no Need of any other Method to filence the Jew, than only to demand greater Proof than Tettimony that Daniel was in the Lions Den and not devour'd ; or that ELiJha made Iron to fwim, contrary to the Nature of it. Neither will there be Need of any other Method to confute the Gentile, than only to demand greater Proof than bare Tefti- mony, that there were ever fuch Men as Alexander or Ctffar, if they rejed fuch kind of Proof themfelves. But I proceed now to fhew what Evidence \ye have for this Fad. And here, as it is a Matter of the greateft Importance, lo we have a prodigious Number of Witnefles more than was ever required by any Law, to prove any Fad whatsoever. And, fir ft, we have the Teftimony of the Difciples to whom he appear'd as they were going to Emmaus \ of Mary Magdalen^ by whom he was ieen as (lie flood at the Sepulchre weeping, and alfo of Mary the Mother of James. We M have 9^ S E R MO N s on SERM. have likewife the Teftimony of the eleven Apoftles, to whom he appeared as they were affembled together for fear of the Jews* and others with them ; then we are affur'd he was feen at another Time by above five hundred at once. We have alfb the Tefti- mony of Angels, who faid to the Women that came to the Sepulchre to feek the Lord, Why feek ye the Living among the Dead ? He is not here y but is rifen. Arid we have one very extraordinary Evidence> which is that of God himtelf, who confirm'd the Truth of this Fa& by giving the A- poftles, who were more immediately fet apart to give Teftimony of it, a Power of working Miracles. But, befides all this, we have the Witnefs of Enemies alfb, fo far as to prove that he was actually dead and laid in the Sepulchre, and was, after the iealing the Stone and letting a Watch, aclu- ally gone out of it again. This was ac- knowledg'd by the Jews themfelves. And we have the Evidence of St. 'Paul, who was at that Time a great Enemy and a Perfecu- tor, and was converted himfelf by our Lord, as he was MI his Way to Damafcus, in order to carry on his Perfecution. Here then is the Evidence fairly laid be- fore you. Let us now fee whether thefe Witnefles various SUBJECTS. 95 Witnefles have the proper Qualifications SERM. neceflary for Evidences in this Cafe. And * '" in order to that, Jet us examine what Qua- lifications are neceflary in Affairs of this Nature. Now in all Matters of Fad, and more efpeeially in this, 'tis neceflary that the Witnefles fhould have fo much Know- ledge as to underftand when they fee or hear a Thing, ^c. "Tis neceflary alfo that the Witnefles fhould give Teftimony accor- ding to their own Knowledge, as Eye-Wit- nefles, or Ear- Witnefles, according to the Nature of the Fad i and then 'tis farther neceflary that they be Perfons of Sincerity, in order to give a faithful Relation of what they know. Now that the Apoftles, who were more immediately fet apart to teftify this Fad, had this fiiil Qualification, /. e. had Knowledge enough for a Thing of this Nature, is plain, becaufe the Jews them- felves never objeded their Want of it. They look'd upon them indeed as ignorant Men j by which they did not mean that they were void of all Underftanding (as is plain from the original Word) but that they were Men of no Learning, which wa > not all neceflary to teftify a plain Matter of Fad. A Man may not be a Scholar, and yet he may have common Senfe j he may not be aPhilofbpher, M 2 and 6V SERMONS on SERM. and yet he may know what he hears or V. fees. But how indifferently foevcr the Jews v *' or ^ might think of them, yet thole that have argued their Caufe for them, of late, hav e made Amends for that by fuppofing them to be crafty, defigning Men. That they had the lecond Qualification, and gave Te- ftimony according to Knowledge, is plain from hence, that their very Enemies, whole Bufinefs it was, and who undoubtedly did look into their Lives, and would certainly have detected them, had they been guilty of any Crimes, did not lay the leaft immo- rality to their Charge. The Hope and Re- furrection of the Dead they might be ac- cufed of, but for anything elfe, we find no Charge againft them. Nay, St jPrf,-//, when he was brought before Felix, in his excellent Speech that he made in his o\\u Defence, challenges his Accufers to object if they had ought againft him, except it were for this one -Voice, that he criecj Iranding among them, Concerning the Re- furrecikn of the Dead I am accnfed by you this Day. The Silence of their Adverfaries then in a Caie, where there is no Probability that they would have been filent, could they have accus'd them of any thing, is a {hong Argument Chat they did not think them various SUBJECTS. 95" them to be wicked, nay, they were Ib far SERM. from that, that the Exemplarinefs of their V. Lives, and Purity of their Dodrine, brought Multitudes over to the Chriftian Religion In the next Place let us lee, fuppofing this to be a Cheat, what Motives they could have to contrive and carry it on. People don't ufe to cheat, unlefs it be to get by it : But this they could not propoie to them- jelves ; for all the Advantages lay on the other Side : Nay, they were ib far from getting: any thing by it, that they were fure to meet with nothing but Scorn and Con- tempt, and to bring themfelves into a great deal of Danger by it. Now 'tis highly im- probable to fuppofe that People would run themfelves into Danger, and get the Hatred of the World by propagating a Cheat, k nowing it to be fuch. To carry on a Cheat? when there is not only no Profit nor Ad- vantage, but a great deal of Inconvenience, Hazard, and Difad vantage attending ir, which might be fo eafily avoided only by telling the plain Truth, is too monftrous to be believ'd, efpecially of Men who had no Crime laid to their Charge. But, on the contrary, the greater .the Advantages were which they renounced, the Itronger Argu- ment it is of their Sincerity, and Goodneis of 96 SERMONS on SER.M. of their Caufe. But they not only under- V. vvent many Difadvantages and Perfecutions, but laid down their very Lives for it too> which is the laft and ftrongeft Proof of a Man's Sincerity. And indeed if the Sin- cerity of the A pottles had not been we^ eftabiiih'd in the World, 'tis hard to account why fo many fhould voluntarily undergo the fame Hardfhips, and fucceed in the fame Dangers, by taking upon them theChriftian Profeffion, in the Room of thofe who had been perfecuted for it before. But, to put the Matter out of allDonbt, God was plea- fed to juftify their Sincerity by giving them a Power of working Miracles, which the Jews themfelves could not deny. Thus you fee what Evidence we have* and how well the Matter of Facl is proved. Let us now lee what Evidence there is on the other Side ; and, if any, whether they be rightly qualified to give Teftimony in this Matter. Now the only Evidence on the other Side, is the Watch that was let to guard the Sepulchre, which is no Evidence at all ; neither indeed will the Nature of the Thing admit of any. For the Evidence of a Man, who can fay nothing, but that he did not lee another after he was rifen from the Dead, can't by any means be admitted as various SUBJECTS. 97 as a good Evidence, nor have the leaft SERM. Weight in leifening the Teftimony of one who did fee him. My not feeing a Perfon after his Refurreftion from the Dead, can certainly be no Argument that no one elfe did. They might have been direcl: Evi- dences indeed, had the Fact been falfe ; had he not rifen, but remained frill in the Sepulchre. But, inftead of that, they are Evidences for the other Side : For when the Angel came and roll'd away the Stone from the Door of the Sepulchre, and told the Women -who went there to feek the Lord, that he was not there, but was r'tfcn, they were aflonijhed, and went and ftew'd, the High Trie/Is- all the Things that were done. As to their Qualifications for giving Teftimony in this Matter, they are very indifferent ; for we find, after they had been brib-d, they faid, the Difcifles came by Night- and flole him away. How incon- fiftent is this, when we are afTur'd they hid themlelves for fear of the Jews ! But how is it poilible to fteal a Body when there is a Guard fet to watch it ? This does not feem to be well contrived at all. Why to this it is anfwer'd, That it was done while they were afleep. Something, it feems, muft be faid but any thing would have done better than this. 98 S E R M O N S OH SERM. this. This looks as if they \verc in great V. Hatte for an Excufe ; for, befides the Im- probability of fuppofing them all to be afleep together, and not to be awaken'd by the Removal of the Stone and of the dead Body, how came they to know, if they were afleep, that the Difciples ftole him away ? A Man that is afleep can be an Evi- dence of nothing but of his not being awake and therefore can't be admitted asEvidence to a Fad fuppos'd to be done when he was capable of knowing nothing of the Matter. Befides, had they been awake, as they really were, is their Evidence, who could fay and unfay fo much, to be depended upon, as theirs who, to an unexceptionable Life and Converfation, added Miracles alfo to con- firm the Truth of what they faid ? This is to intereft Heaven in the Caufe, and to procure the Almighty himfelf to ratify the Evidence. Thus you fee how the Matter of Fact Hands. The Witnefles on one Side were fo far from having any Motives of worldly Advantage for what they teftified, that they depriv'd themielves of all Things, liv'd a Life of great Poverty, and at laft laid down their Lives for the Truth of it which tho' fbme have done for an Frror, yet this is various SUBJECTS. 99 is not confiftent with their Charader to do, SERM. even their Enemies themfelves being Judges- ^ V* Neither is it to be fuppofed that they would lay down their Lives for a Lye, whole Re- ligion teaches them to abhor it, cfpecially fince they are fure to be punifhed for it ac- cording to their own Scheme. And there- fore the Cafe being fo, there is no replying to this but by difproving the Fad, all o- ther Arguments being out of the Quefticn, as I have already fhesvn : But inftead of that, the Evidence on the other Side own'd the Fad to the High-Priefts j tho' after- wards they thought proper to difown it again, by faying that the Body was Jlolcn away, while they were ajleef : Yet that will amount to no more tnan this, that the Fad was fuppofed to be done when they did not know whether it vyas done or no ; which is too weak of itfelf to be further expofed. I am fatisfy'd the Argument has drawn me too great a Length, but however I hope you will indulge me while I ihew, III. In the third and laft Place, What will be the Benefit of Chrift's Reiurredion to us. And this is no lefs than a Confirma- tion and Efbbliihment of the whole Chri- ftian Scheme, which is a wonder! ul Con- T \T nivance ICQ SERMONS'*^/ S*RM. trivance calculated for the Good and Hap- V. pinefs of Men, in that it is a more perfect v Law than ever they had before, with a Pro- vifion in it for the Sins arid Infirmities of Mankind, together with Directions where to apply for Affiftance to help us in doing . what we are not able to do of ourielves, and alib in that it points out to us the Way to that glorious Immortality, which, by means of a little Light and much Darknefs, ibme Conjecture, and much Uncertainty, had been hitherto fought in vain. Whereas, if Chrift be not rifen, then he prophefied fal ly of himfclf, and fo did like wife the Pro- phets of him. The Gofpel is then nothing but a Fraud, there is no Certainty of a Par- don for Sin, nor any AfTurance of a future Stale ; for tho' Ibme of the wileft of the Gentries might hope that a good God would pardon their Sins, and might alib have ibme tolerable Conjectures of a future State, yet v.hat is Hope to Certainty ? We have i -, c \v an A tfurance of all i hole Th i ngs. Now we can ice the glorious O Economy of our iiption* -J/x'. that hs r cjbo died for The Rcfunedion of Chrift from the is the Fountl.uion of our own Kcfur. -rection various SUBJECTS. 101 re&'ton ; for if he is rifen as the Fir/i- SEK.M- Fruits, we Jhall alfo rife as the Harveft. V- i ft, Becaule the fame Power can raife us too; and, zdly^ Becaufe it will do fo. For he that raided up Chrift from the Dead, /ball alfo quicken our Bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in us. But then we are to confider that thcfe Benefits extend only to thofe that lay hold of them : For unless ^e rife with Chrift ! , he is not rifen for us at all. We have no Benefit of his Refurrec- tion. We fhall rile again, 'tis true; but to what ? To live in Mifery ? Where's the Advantage ? Who would not rather flum- ber away ten thoufand Years in Death, than live fb long in Torment? But, alas! we have not this in our Power ; for a ra- tional Soul cannot lie in the Duft. It is Heaven-born, and unlefs we deprive it of its celeftial Beauty, thither it will return ; but if we do, it will be fent into thole me- lancholy Regions where no Light appears^ fave what the Glimmering of livid Flames cafts, pale and dreadful; or, as the Poet has it, Ifljire Hope ne'er comes, that comes to all ; where dwells a Variety of Woes, Sorrows, Tortures infupportablc ; where, there is no other Sight of God but of his Wrath, no other Proof of the omnipotent Being, but N 2 ' what lol S E R M o N s ## SERM. what arifes from the Horrors and Torments V. eft he Place; inhere the Worm never dies y 1/ * v and the Fire is 'never quenced. But not to detain you any longer in View of this dread- ful Profpect, this uncomfortable Scene of Horror, which I hope we fhall never lee any otherwiie than by the Imagination., let us now turn our Eyes to that heavenly Place, where, if we rile with Chrift, we are taught to fet our AfFe&ions. Let us view that celeftial Paradife, that is filled with the Glory of the Divine Being,, in Companion of which, Behold even to the MOOJI^ and it Jh'meth not ; yea the Stars are not fure in his Sight : Where is no Fear, no Sorrow, no Care, but a perpe- tual Round of Joy and Happinefs, without Bounds, and without Expreflion. This is the happy Place we are defign'd for ; and I fuppofe it will be readily granted, that it is good for us to be here. Let us then fit and prepare ourfelves for, this heavenly State by living fuch a Life as will naturally lead us to. it. And as Chrift was rat fed from the Dead by the Glory of the Father^ even fo let us alfo walk in Newnefs of Life. So nray WQ boldly triumph with the A- poftle, O Death ! where is thy Sting .-> Grav-e ! ' wher$ is thy Vittory ? and move SUBJECTS, 103 move peaceably on from one Degree of SERM, Happinefs to another, till at iaft we Hide V. infenfibly into that Infinitude of Happineis " and Pleafure which is at God's Right-Hand for evermore, h God of his infinity Mercy grant unto us all for the Sake of his Son Jefets Chrift our Lord. To whom* with the Father and Holy Ghofl^ be ascribed all Honour, Glory, Might, Alajeffy, and Dominion^ henceforth^ and for evermore. SER- VI. SERMON VI MATT. x. 34. Think not that I am come to fend Tcace on Ettrth ; I came not to fend Teace, but a Sword. F it \vere reafonable to judge of the Chriftian Religion by the ill Ufe that has been made of it, we fhould be forc'd to acknowledge o thefe Words to be true in their obvious and literal Meaning. For the Pra&ices of too many of its ProfefTors have in all Ages of the World, from the Beginning of Chrifti- anity to this Time, been agreeable to this Interpretation. But muft it come to this at laft, after all the AiTurances we have, that the whole De- fign of our blefled Saviour's Coming into the World was to make us at Peace with God, and with one another ; that Peace was varidus SUBJECTS. 165* the glad Tidings he brought with him SERVT. into the World, and the laft Legacy he VI. left behind him when he went out of it ' Muft it, after all, I fay, come to this a t laft, that he came not to J'end Teace but a Graord ? We know that our Saviour's Doctrine teaches People to live better Lives than they were taught to do by any Rules they had before and, in particular, to fhevv more Love and Benevolence to one another, than the Law of Nature, or that of Mofes requir'd them to do. And indeed if it does not teach us this, what does it teach us ? Now, will it not be thought a furprizing Thing, after all this, to find, in the Words immediately following the Text, that our Saviour fays, he came to jet a Man againji his Father , and the Daughter a gain ft the Mother / What ? Did not People know how to fall out, and be at Variance witlt one another, without any Directions for IQ- doing ? They knew this too well of them- felves certainly to need any Inftru&ions a- bout it : And therefore, if this is the Doc- trine which the Gofpel teaches, it deftroys all Religion in the World, even the Re- ligion of Nature itfdf. Bat io6 SERMONS on SERM. But how mocking and inconfiftent fbev? thefc Words may appear at firft Sight, yet a little Confideration will give them another Countenance, and fhew that they contain as great a Truth as any in the Scripture, \vhich our perverfe Paffions will eafily tell us how to explain. For tho* without all Dilpute our Saviour came to fend 'Peace vfon Earth, and good Will towards Men, yet, as the beft Things are moft liable to be abus'd, that peaceable and benevolent Spirit has, through the. Wickednefs of Mankind, been abus'd into a turbulent evil Spirit of Hatred and Dil- cord. Not that this is, or can be, the Effect of a peaceable Spirit, but of fuch a Spirit abus'd, and mifunderftood. So that, tho' it be never fb good of itielf, it may by acci- dent occafion a great deal of Evil. And as long as the Paflions of Men are liiffer'd to controul their Reaibn and Religion, Ib long will there be too much Truth in our Sa- viour's Words, that be came not to fend "Peace, but a Sword, i. e. Tho' the Intent and Defign of our Saviour's Coming into the World was not to promote Difcord, but Peace, yet, by means of the Pcrverfenels of Mankind, it would be made an Occafion of Hatred and Difcord, and fo would be the fame various SUBJECTS. 107 fame, in ErFed, as if it had proceeded from SERM. a quite contrary Spirit, and as if he had come not to fend 'Peace ufon Earth, but a Si^ord. From the Words of the Text I fhall I. Prove the Truth of our bleffed Sa- viour's Prediction, -and fhewthatChriftiani- ty, tho' it be the moft peaceable Religion in the World, has, by the Wickednefs of Men, been made to propagate Hatred, Dii- cord, and all manner of Cruelty. II. I fliall fhew the dangerous Conle- quence of abufing Chriftianity to fuch wick- ed Purpofes. III. That we ought all of us, who have any Value or Elteem for the Chriftian Re- ligion, to uie our befr. Endeavours, in OLI feveral Stations, to reftore it to its primitive Beauty and Comelinefs, and make it appear to be, as it is in itfelf, a Religion of Peace and Love. F/rft, then, I am to prove the Truth of our blefled Saviour's Prediction, and Ihew that Chriftianity, tho' it be the moft peace- able Religion in the World, has, by the Wickednefs of Men, been made to propa- O gate io8 SERMONS on SERM. gate Hatred, Difcord, and all manner of Was there nothing meant here by the Sword, but only the Hatred and Perfecuti- on that Chriftians were to exped from their Enemies, the Prediction might flop here, and there would be no great Wonder in it ; for 'tis no more than what one might very well fuppofe would happen. But there is a fur- ther more aftonifhing Meaning in it than this, and that is, the Cruelty and Perfecu- tion that Chriftians fliould exercife upon one another ; of which we have too great a Proof from the Hiftory of all Ages, ever fince Chriftianity was advanced into an Efta- blifhment. "Tis no Wonder that Unbelievers fhould be offended at the Chriftian Religion, and evil entreat the Profeffors of it, fince it was not only contrary to their old Prejudices, but as it tended alfb to deftroy and root out . that Ill-nature they were willing to indulge, and to mortify and fubdue thofe Vices they were loth to part with. But, could it ever be imagined that Chriftians themfelves fhould be offended at it, who had .profefs'd to re- nounce all this ? That they, whofe Re- ligion taught them nothing but Peace and "Love, Ihould turn .it into Contention and Hatred? various SUBJECTS. 109 Hatred ? Yet thus it was : For when SERM Unbelievers had left off to perfecute Chri- VI. ftians, and Chriftianity became the Religion of the Country, by an unaccountable fort ofMadnefs, they felj to perfecu ting one a- nother. Thus theChriftian Religion, that was at firft a happy Cement to join People together in Love and Friendfhip, foon be- came a Name to fall out by, and at length, by the Help of a great deal of Malice and Hatred, it became a Refuge for Spite and Ill-nature ; and fb the Gofpel of Peace was turn'd into an open Proclamation of War. Whoever looks into Ecclefiaftical Hiftory, will find that the Heathens never perfecuted the Chri ft tans with more Rrge and Fury than they perfecuted one another ; fb much Pains did they take to fulfil the Words of the Text in a literal Senfe, and undo, for many Ages, all our Saviour had done be- fore. 'Tis furprizing that any Body of Men, who call themfelves Chriftians, fhould be guilty of fo much Barbarity : And yet I believe it is a Truth no one can deny, that the ten perfecuting Emperors of Rome^ tho* they were Heathens, never mafTacred fo many Cbrtftians as the Church of Rome has done fmce, tho' profeffing Chriftianity, and O a pre- no SERMONS on SER.M. pretending to a greater Perfe&ion of it than VI. all the reft of the World : A Church, which, to the Sorrow of all good Chriftians, fubfifts not by the Purity of her Do&rine, but by the Sword ; that is not founded, as every Chriftian Church ftiould be, in Love and good Works, but in a certain Degree of Hatred and Malice, which they fliew againft thofe who have a Right to differ from them j and in an ill-natur'd Faith, that fwallows up every thing elfe, and deftroys the Prin- ciples of natural as well as reveal'd Religi- cn y that, inftead ofpromotingGood-will,and univerial Charity and Benevolence, is per- petually contriving the Ruin and Deftruc- tion of Mankind : And accordingly, as it muft be in fuch a Cafe, he is reckon'd to .have the greateft Faith who has the leaft Charity. But can there be fuch a thing as a Religion fb void of Humanity, efpecially pretending at the lame Time to be Chriftian, as not to confift of Love and good Works ? One would think it hardly poflible ; yet what will you fay, when Murder fliall be reckon'd among the chiefeft of good Works ? When he that killcth you fhall do it out of Love, and therein be thought to do Gc and as long as they hate one another hearti- ly, they imagine they give fufficient Proof of their integrity, and of their itedfaft Ad- herence to Religion. Inftances of this Kind are too frequent ; and yet thefe are the Men who profefs a Religion of Love, that would; be thought Advocates for the Gofpel of Peace at the fame time that they delight in nothing but Hatred and Difcord ; as if they were to commence Brutes in order to be Chriftians, and diveft themfeives of Hu- manity to prove their Zeal for Religion. Thus various SUBJECTS. 113 ThusChriftianity, which is the molt peace- SERM* able and lovely Inftitution in the World, by. .VI. the Wickednefs of Men, becomes the lame as if it had been made up of Fire and Sword. Which brings me, Secondly, To mew the dangerous Conle- quence of abufing Chriftianity to fuch wicked Purpoles. The Gofpel is a Declaration of the Pardon of God to Mankind, and con- lequently a Revelation of his Love to his Creatures ; whoever therefore turns this Love into Hatred, as every one does who makes the Golpel a Cover for Perfecution, tramples under Foot the Blood of the Cove- nant ^ wherewith we are feal'd through the Redemption that is in Chrift Jefus. And if they were to die without Mercy who de- fpis'd Mofes's Law, of how much Ibrer Punifhment mail they be thought worthy, who, by this their Apoftacy from Chrifti- anity, have, in Effect, trodden under Foot the Son of God, and rendered his ineftimable Love to Men ufeleis and ineffectual ! This is doing the very Work of the Devil, and helping him out in that hellilh Drudgery for which he will not fail to re- ward them : For we know very well whole Bufinels it is to five' Men's Lives, and whole to SERMONS on SERM. to deftroy them ; who it was that went a- VI. bout doing good, and who it is that goes a- bout fee king whom he may devour. So that we can't be ignorant whofe Kingdom a cruel perfecuting Spirit tends to advance; not the Kingdom of Chrift, but the Kingdom of Satan. For it is certainly true, that to whomsoever we yield ourfelves Servants to obey, his Servants we are to whom we obey, whether of Sin unto Death, or of Holinefs unto Righteoufnefs. Our blefled Saviour has given us an ex- traordinary Example of univerfal Love and Benevolence, in laying down his Life, not only for our Sins, but alfo for the Sins of the whole World : And as far as we are for promoting the fame Love, fb far we follow his Steps ; but when we turn that Love into Hatred, even unto Death, we fhew that we belong to another Matter, viz. the Prince of Darknefs, and follow his Steps, in endeavour- ing to prevent and fruftrate the ineitimable Benefit of ChrifVsDeath, by deftroy ing them for whom Chrift died. Axes and Halters are unanfwerable Ar- guments indeed, but then 'tis for this Rea- fbn, becaufe they put an End to the Di pute and the Diiputer too. But one would think that every one muft know, that k mult various SUBJECTS. 115 mud be a bad Caufe that {lands in ncedSERM. of fuch Arguments as thefe. As for Chri- ftianity, 'tis directly oppqfite to this Spirit of Cruelty ; even Nature itfelf abhors it : And yet it feems it muft be kept up to do God good Service. But for God's fake, how ? Where is there one Text of Scrip- ture that fays, a Man muft be deftroyed , for the fake of Religion ? Does not the whole Tenor of it run the contrary way? But 'tis the everlafting Plea of the Ad- vocates for Perfecution, that we, and all but themfelves, are Heretics: And fuppofe it were fo, tho' there is no reafon to fup- pofe any fuch thing, for there are a great many Things to be made out firft, where is there one Text of Scripture that fays, a Heretic muft be deftroyed ? Has not our Bleffed Saviour determined this very Thing already with relation to the Samaritans, who were not only Heretics but Idolaters ? And yet when the Difciples James and John were for calling for Fire from Heaven to confume them, he turned, and rebuked them, and faid, Te know not what manner $f Spirit ye are of: For tbs Son of Man P. ft I I 6 S E R M' O N S 0,1 SERM. h not come to deflroy tyleris Lives but H , VI - Jaw them. But if others think, that tho' our Savi- our did not come to deftroy Men's Lives, yet that they have a Right to do fiich Things, then I think too, they ought at leaft to be fo fair as to make no Preten- fions to Chriftianity, fmce they are as con- trary to it as an evil Spirit is to a good one. So that upon Suppofition we were He- retics, in the Senfe they are willing to under- {land it, yet Perfecution is a manifeft Breach of Chriftian Charity, which is em- ployed, and delights in doing good to Men, and not in deftroying them; and therefore, if it were to be put upon that Footing, they are in a much worfe Condition than we, as being guilty of the great Sin of Unchari- tablenefs, which is fo m uch worfe than Herefy, as Charity is greater than Faith. But further, let us purfue the Confe- quence of this perfecuting Spirit, and fee where it will end. Suppofe then all that can be defired, that Perfecution is a Chri- ftian Principle, and that there is fufficient Warrant for it from Scripture; kt all this for various S u B j E C f si 1 17 for once be granted, and what are weSERM. now the better ? Can this alter the Nature of things ? or make Hatred and Ill-nature be otherwife than they are ? As long as things are what they are, it will flill be a Moral Crime ; and Human Nature, upon * Suppofition that it is what it is, can never approve of it, unlefs it be ftrangely byafs'd by other Confiderations. What then will an Argument drawn from hence prove ? If it prove any thing, it will prove too much. For was there but one Text of Scripture that would juftify Perfecution, that would be fufficient to prove the Chriftian Religion to be falfe, and not to come from God; For that would be to make Chriftianity deftroy its own End, as well as confound and de- ftroy the eternal Differences and Relations of things. Accordingly we find the Deifts have made this Ufeof it : And indeed were it not for the Hatred and Cruelty that has been fo often found among Chriftians, a late Author, that has appear'd at the Head -of their Caufe, would have very little to i*ay. This is what He, and all the Enemies of Reveal'd Religion have found their Ad- , vantage n8 SERMONS on M vanta S e * n > anc * nave tr i am ph'd * much on ; and indeed this is a thing never to be gat over. I don't mean that it affe&s Chriftianity at all, for that teaches other things. A good Chriftian is taught to be an Enemy to no Man; He is peaceable, gen- tle, eafy to be entreated; His Charity for- bids him not only to do, but to think evil; He pretends to judge no Man's Confcience, but leaves that to Him who fearcheth the Hearts, and kno weth the Thoughts of Men ; He prays for all Men, which certainly is very far from hating them, and mews eve- ry Man that Love and Benevolence, which he would deiire of him in a like cafe. So that Chriftianity is not at all concern'd in it, but only thofe who have abus'd it to fuch vile Purpofes ; and therefore I leave it to them to get rid of this Objection, if they can. See then what this perfecuting Spirit ends in, nothing lefs than in the Ruin and Detraction of that Religion it would be thought with fo much Rage and Fury to defend. I mould not dwell fo long upon this, but that the Text naturally leads me to (hew, that an uncharitable perfecuting various SUBJECTS. up Spirit is a vile and fcandalous Abufe of SERM. Chriflianity; and the Church of Rome, VI. being the only Chriftian Church in the World, that keeps up this unchriftian Spi- rit, by claiming a right of judging them, who are not their Servants, but their Bre- thren, I think it my Duty, in order to pro- mote the true Spirit of Chriflianity, to mew the dangerous Confequence of it, that we may not run into the fame Incon- fiftency with thofe I have been already fpeaking of. Every one muft know, at leaft they muft who have the ufe of their Bibles, that all Hatred and Uncharitablenefs is ut- terly inconfiftent with Chriflianity : For however we may err in other Matters, we can never be ignorant of this, that the Gofpel is calculated to promote Peace and Love in the World. A Man may be mi taken in a difficult Point of Dodrine, and his Miftake may be very innocent and blamelefs, becaufe it being not Efficiently reveal'd, a Man can't be blam'd for not knowing what he had it not in his Power foknowj but a man can never be igno^. ran*, SERMONS o# SERM. r ant, that it is the Defign of the Gofpcl tcr VI. inculcate a greater Degree of Love and Charity than the World had pradifed be- fore. For hence it is that it is call'd 1 New Commandment; a New Comnand- ment, fays our Blefled Saviour, give I unto yoit y that ye love one another. And there- fore however People may be miftaken, and differ about other parts of Scripture, yet they muil all acknowledge, that the whole Scope and Defign of the Gofpel is Peace and Love ; and that the Precepts that re- late to this are abfolute and pofitive, and muft fuperfede whatever feems to interfere with it, that has not an equal Degree of Clearness and Certainty. And yet notwithstanding all this, it is an Obfervation that has too much Truth in it, that we have Religion enough to make us hate, but not enough to make u $ Love one another. But let them look to it, who turn this Love into Hatred, fince their Crime, according to St. John, is of a very dreadful Nature ; for, fays he, He that hateth his Brother is a Murderer ; nois ye know that no Murderer hath eternal Lift: The various SUBJECTS 1 2,1 The Prophet pronounces a Woe to themSERM. that put Light for Darknefs, and Dark- VI. nefs for Light ; and Good for Evil, and E- vil for Good : And St. Paul tells the Ga- latians, that if an Angel from Heaven /hould f reach any other Gofpel than what they had received, let him be accurfed. What then will be the Punimment of thole who do what they can to deftroy it, and even break down the great Partition- Wall of Right and Wrong ? The Gofpel, as well as the Blefied Author of it, has been betray'd, but woe to them by whom it is, or has been betray'd. Which brings me, Thirdly, to fhew, That we ought all of us, who have any Value or Efteem for the Chriftian Religion, to ufe our beft Endea- vours in our feveral Stations to reftore it to its primitive Beauty and Comeiinefs, and make it appear to be, as it is in itfelf, a Religion of Peace and Love. They who have taken upon them the Chriftian Profeffion, for of fuch only am I now fpeaking, muft know, that they have ta- ken upon them to follow the Doctrine and Example of the great Author and Foun- der 122, SERMONS on SsRM.der of it, who was not only a Preacher of Peace and Love, but was Love itfelf; and as this peaceable Spirit, which our Bleffed Saviour came to eftablifti in the World, has been abus'd by fome, and turn'd into a Spirit of Hatred and Difcord, it concerns them in a particular manner to remove this Scandal, that has been thrown uponChrifti- anity, and demonftrate by their own Practice, that a trueChriftian, or a Difci- ple of Chrift, is to be known now, as well as of old, not by his Hatred, but by his Love. The true Profeffors of Chriftianity muft, and will do this ; for to fuppofe a good Chriftian can be an uncharitable Man, is to fey a Propofition may be true and falfe at the fame time : And as for Others, who are only Nominal ProfeiTors, they ought in Juftice to the World and the Re- ligion they profefs, to throw off the Mask, or become real ones, that Religion might not be wounded thro' their fides. And in- deed there is the more Occafion for this now in thefe Days, becaufl- the Enemies of Chriftianity are very induftrious in hunt- ing out the Faults and Blemiflies of Chriftians, various SUBJECTS. 123 lians, and in throwing the Scandal of them SERM. not where they Should, upon the Perfons to VI. whom they belong, but upon their Reli- gion to which they do not. Chriftians fhould confider that they are let up as a City upon an Hill to be view'd by all Men, and the Light that was given them was defign'd for the ufe of others, as well as themfelves ; For their Light was Jo to foine before Men y that they might fee their good Works y and glorify their father which is in Heaven. They are therefore to have more Love and Charity and univerfal Be- nevolence, as well as every other Virtue, than the reft of Mankind, othervvife they bring an Odium upon themfelves, and their Profeffion too. For if Chriftians were to abound more in Hatred and Ill-Nature than the reft of the World, how contemp- tible muft they appear in the Sight of the Heathen, and of all thofe who have not the Light of the Gofpel for their Direction ? May not they very juftly fay, If to be a found and orthodox Chrif- tian is to have a greater degree of Cruelty viand Barbarity than the reft of the World, how 124 SERMONS on SERM. how is it that you are in a better Condi- ti on than we? Or wherein are we worfe, or e ven fo bad as You? For the better fort of us have always acknowledg'd our Obli- gations to the Law of Nature, of which you allow that of Mofes and of Chrift to be an Improvement, and yet you mani- feftly break them all If you have the fame turbulent Pafllons, the fame Spirit of Cruelty and Inhuma- nity with the worft of us, what is be- come of that Light you pretend to enjoy by the Gofpel ? In Ihort, if you live no better Lives with the Gofpel, than we do without it, wherein do you differ from us ? And indeed I think, whatever Diffe- rence there is, the Heathens have much the Advantage of us. For if we are come to that Pafs, that the Light that is in us be Darknefs, how great is that Darknefs? Shall we, who call ourfelves Chriftians, and reft on the Gofpel, and make our boafb of God, and know his Will, and approve the things that are more excellent, being inftructed out of the Gofpel, and are con- fident that we ourfelves are Guides of the Blind; various SUBJECTS. 125 Blind, Lights to them which are in Dark- SERM. nefs, &c. Shall we therefore, who think VI. ourfelves able to teach others, not teach ourfelves ? Shall we, who fay a Chriftian fhould commit no manner of Violence or Cruelty, be guilty of that very Crime ourfelves ? Shall we, who make our Boaft of the Gofpel, thro' breaking the Gofpel difhonour God ? For the Name of God is blafphem'd among the Gentiles thro* fuch fort of Chriftians. For the Profeflion of Chriftianity verily profiteth, if we live according to the Gofpel ; but if we abufe, and neglect it, our Profeflion becomes the fame, as if we did not profefs it at all. Therefore if He who does not profefs Chriftianity keeps the R ighteoufnefs of the Gofpel, (hall not He be as acceptable to God, as He who does profefs it ? And mall not He, who has the Light of Na- ture only to direcl: Him, if He fulfil the Law, judge us, who by obferving the Let- ter only, and by regarding nothing but a bare empty Profeflion, tranfgrefs it? For he is not a Chriftian, who is one outwardly by Profeflion, any more than that is true Circumcilion 12.6 SERMONS on E ^ M 'Cireumcifion, which is outward in the Flefh 3 but he is a Chriftian, who is one inward- ly; and the true Profeffion of Chriftianity is that of the Heart in the Spirit, and not in the Letter, whofe Praife is not of Men, but of God, But to this perhaps it will be objected, that this is putting Chriftians and Heathens upon the fame footing; for if the Cafe be fo, how is a Chriftian bet- ter than a Heathen. To which I anfwqr, Not at all, but rather worfe j he is better in no refpect, that I know of, unlefs he leads a better Life. A Chriftian by hav- ing a better Light to walk by, and the Influence of God's Holy Spkit to direct him, has, no doubt of it, great Advantages above a Heathen ; but unlefs he makes a good Ufe of it, 'tis no advantage to him at all : Tis the fame thing to him,, as if he had it not. The ancient MoraMs thought it to be the proper Bufmefs of a Philofopher to live well; and mall it be the proper Bufi- nefs of a Chriftian to Jive ill ? Or (hall we break all the Rules of Humanity to {hew what good Chriftians we are? Tis the various SUBJECTS. 117 the Privilege of Human Nature above SERM. Brutes, fays Antoninus t to love thofe that difoblige us. (Lib. 7.) This is the Do6trine of an Heathen, and the Gofpel teaches us the &me LeiTon, when it bids us pray for thofe that defpitefully ufe us ; and yet the perfecuting Chriftian is for hating thofe, that do him no Injury at all. And the fame Author fays elfewhere, that we ought to be beneficial to others, as being that which as Men we are bound to do. (Lib, 9.) Take me, fays he, in ano- ther Place, under the particular Diftinc- tion of Antoninu$ t and Rome is my Town and Country ; but confider me as a Man jn general, and I belong to the Corpora- tion of the World ; that therefore, and that only, which is ferviceable to both thefe Societies, is an Advantage to me. (L/^,6.) What a generous benevolent Tem- per this is ! Now which of thefe is the good Man, he who without the Gofpel practi- fes a benevolent charitable Temper, or he who with it an uncharitable perfecu- ting one ? Such a one is fo far from being a Chriftian, that he is a Compofition of ( the 128 SERMONS on SERM. worft Part of Heathenifm, as being made up of a Spirit, that tends to deftroy the great Law of Nature, which no Reveal'd Religion, nor even an Angel from Heaven can do, without altering the Nature of Things, and making Right and Wrong ftand for other things than what they do at prefent. But it is Time now to draw nigh to a Conclufion : And in order to make fome Ufe of what has been faid, let us all en- deavour to get more Love, and Charity, and univerfal Benevolence ; and let us be- ware of rafh Judgment, for it is a very na- tural and eafy Tranfuion from rafh judg- ing to hating, and then there will be no- thing wanting but Power to make a com- pleat Perfecutor : Let us confider not how we differ from one another, but how far we differ from the Truth ; and leave one another in the Poffeffion of each others Right, confidering that One is our Majler* wen Chrift, and all we are Brethren. Have we any Overflowings of Hatred or Ill-Nature, let usbeftow it upon our Sins; and let us be fparing of our Fire-Brandy an brought not again/I him fo much as a rail- ing Accufation ; but faid, the Lord rebuke thee. Let us of all things beware of falfe Zeal, for that makes People Perfecutors even againft their Nature; as is plain from the People of thofe Countries, where the In- quifition reigns, who are obferv'd to fhew as much Companion as any People in the- World for a Malefactor, who is to fuffer for Murder, Robbery, &c. And yet whea they fee a poor innocent Perfon, dragg'd from a horrid Dungeon with trembling Limbs, and a meagre Countenance, and faftned to a Stake in the midft of a devour- ing Flame, for no other Crime than for not having the fame Understanding with them, they fhew all the Tokens of Joy and Pleafure imaginable. Good God! that ever People mould come to fuch a height of Wickednefs, as to look up to thee, whom they offend every Day of their .Lives, and beg thy Mercy and Forgivenefs, and I JO S E R.M O N S on SERM. and yet at the fame time delight in tortur- VI. ing their innocent Brethren! Where is e Reafon, the Equity, the Jufticeof all this Enthufiaftic Rage and Fury ? If this be Chriftianity give us fome better Scheme, or turn us back to the lefs injurious State of Heathen ifm ! In a Word, and to conclude. Tho* we ail differ from one another in fome refpeft or other, yet let us not imitate thofe whofe Principles and Practices we con- demn, by dealing about the unchriftian Firebrands of Malice and Hatred, but fhew that we are Chriftians, by extending our Love to all the World according to our Saviour's Command and Example. Then if our Faith, which is a dead Principle of itfelf, be thus enliven'd with Chanty ; then, I fay, however we may be re- proach'd, cenfur'd, condemn'd as Here- ticks, by thofe who know no other Gof- pel, but an idle Jargon of School-Terms, yet we (hall be found to be true Members of the Chriftian Church here, and of the Church triumphant in Heaven. S E R; SERMON VII. ROMANS iii. 31. Do we tk L > n make void the Law thro' Fiiitb? God forbid ; yea* we eflablifh the Law. HE Defign of this Epiftle SERM. to the Romans being to con- VII. firm them in their Pro- feflion of Chriflianity, and to prefer ve them from being feduced by the Judatzers, who ftifly adher'd to the Law of Mofes, the Apoftie, in the forego- ing Chapters, gives them to underftand, that God is the God of the Gentiles as well as of the Jews j that, as to the Me- thod of obtaining Salvation, the Cafe is the fame with the one, as it is with the other ; for that the Righteoufnefs accepted of God unto Salvation muft be by Faith R in i$i "SE R M o N s on SERM. in Jefus Chrift, both of the Jew and VII' Gentile : And tho' indeed he is far from acquitting the Gentiles, for he blames them very much for their wicked Lives, and fays, that they (land in need of Jufti- fication by Faith for tranfgreffing the Law of Nature j yet to take down the Pride of the Jew, he {hews as plainly, that the Jews could not be juftify'd neither, any otherwife than by Faith, becaufe they were TranfgrefTors of the Law of Mofes : So that in this refpect they were upon the fame Footing ; and as to their Acceptance with God, there was no Difference be- tween the Jew and the Gentile ; neither of them being able to attain Juftifkation by their own Performances. The Apoftle goes on, to the great Mortification of the Jew, who placed his Merit in outward Performances, to mew the Infufficiency of fuch Things ; telling them that it was the Purity of the Heart, which was only acceptable with God. For he is not a Jew, or at leaft fuch a one to whom the Promifes belong, who is one outwardly, nor is that Circumcifion, which is out- ward various SUBJECTS. 13 ward in the Flefli, but he is a Jew, whoSiRM. is one inwardly, and Circumcifion is that of the Heart, in the Spirit, and not in "^ the Letter, whofe Praife is not of Men, but of Gori. And if the Jew fliould reply, as St. Paul puts the Queftion* What Advantage then hath the Jew, or what Profit is there of Circumcifion? Why, as the Apoftle obferves, much every Way} chiefly, becaufe they were entrufted with the Oracles of God ; but as to their Acceptance with God, they had no Ad- vantage at all ; for both Jew and Gentile are concluded under Sin. And then he proceeds to (hew, that the Jews had no reafon to boaft upon Account of the Law, fince after all they were not to be juftify'd by it ; for that God will juftify Jew and Gentile the fame Way, viz. by Faith. And in the Words of the Text he obviates an Objection, which he knew was natural enough for the Jews to urge from the foregoing Doctrine ; as if Juftification by Faith would make void the Law, which he denies with the greateft Abhorrence ; {hewing that it is fo far from making void R 2 the ,~ 4 S E R M O K S OH SERM. the Law, that it is on the contrary an VII. Eftablifoment of it. Do we then made the Law thro' Faith? God forbid-, yea, we eftablifi the Law. From the Words of the Text I (hall beg Leave to prove two Things. ' Firft, That the Go/pel does not make void the Law. Secondly, That it confirms andejiabtijhes it. Si- Firft, then, I am to prove that the Gofpel does not make void the Law. By the Law I underftand not the Mofaie Law in General, but that particular Part of it, that is made up of a Body of Pre- cepts for the Regulation of the Life and Manners, which is call'd the Moral Law. The ceremonial Part being adapted to the particular Circumftances of the. Jews, it could not be fuppofed to be obligatory upon Chriftians, or to extend further than the Reafon for which it was firft inftituted, but to ceafe when the Gofpel-Difpenfation took Place, and become entirely null and void ; becaufe there was no longer any Reafoa various SUBJECTS. 135 Reafon for its Continuance. When God SKRM. was pleafed to eftablifti his Religion among the Jews, he gave them Laws fuitable to the Weaknefs of their Capacities. Sacrifices and outward Ceremonies were accepted, till they knew how to wormip God in Spirit and in Truth ; and all the legal Obfervances were only Shadows of what was to come, When God was known only in Judab y and his Tabernacle at Salem, Religion evaporated in Smoak, and fpent it felf in ritual Performances ; but when the Fulnefs of Time came, that we mould not fay, Lo here, or Lo there, for that the Kingdom of God was with- in us, then the legal Ceremonies were abolifh'd, the Hand-writing of Ordi- nances was blotted out, and gave Way to the Righteoufnefs which is of God by Faith. And in this Senfe indeed the Law is made void thro' Faith: But the Moral Law, the Law here mention'd, which is a fnmfcript and Abridgment of the Law of Nature, did not ceafe with the Jeists, but is binding upon all Chriftians. For SERMONS on SERM. For as it is a Law of Nature, no Cir- cumftances can alter k ; 'but it muft con- tinue in full Force upon the whole hu- man Nature, as long as there are fuch Thmgs in the World as Right and Wrong; and no Privileges of Chriftianity can poflibly exempt us from ur Obli- gations to it. 3t$vBut for the better handling this Point, it will be necefTary to confider well the true Nature and Defign of the Gofpel, and alfo the full and juft Extent and Defign of the Law, that we might not exalt the Gofpel beyond its due Bounds, and fo abufe that Liberty wherewith Chrift hath made us free, nor advance the Law be- yond the true Intent and Defign of it, and fo make void the Gofpel. When we have thus confider'd the Nature and Ex- tent of each, how far they differ, and how far they agree, we (hall find, that tho' the Law is not fufficient for our Juftification, yet that there is no room to think, that therefore the Law is made void thro* Faith. The Law confider'd as a Body of Mo- rality, various SUBJECTS. 137 rality, and fo a Rule of Life, differs notSERM. from the Gofpel, any further than as the Gofpel is an Improvement upon it: Fos it claims the fame God for its Author, and- is founded upon the fame eternal Truth' and Reafon. And this Law the Gentiles had as well as the Jews. Indeed the Jews were the firft to whom it was made a Statute- Law, but that the Gentiles had it Jikewife is plain from St. Paul, who fays of them, rfhefe, laving not the Law, are a Law unto themfelves. As to the whole Law taken together, which is calPd the Mofaic Law in oppofition to the Gofpel, as the Jews held it, or in Contradiftin&ion to it, as the Jewifo Converts, it was very de- fective, and could not juftify us, as. being only a Covenanjt of Works ; and therefor 6 confifting only of Duties, which it could not enable us to perform, nor give us any Promife of eternal Life upon our Per- formance. (For, as the Apoflle fays, if there had been a Law given, which could have given Life, verily Righteoufnefs fiould have been by the Law.) It being thus a Covenant of Works enjoining drift Obedience, and there 138 SERMONS oh SERM. there being no Hopes of Pardon or Jufti- *" fication from it but upon drift Obedience, ^ the Gofpel ftepsin to fupply the Defeats of the Law, not to exclude the Morality of it, or make Good Works lefs neceffary than they were before, but to rriake them truely ufeful by a Covenant of Grace j that makes large Allowances for the Infirmities of Human Nature, accepting of Repen- tance inftead of Innocence, and fo juftifies us from all Things, from which we could not be juftify'd by the Law of Mofes : For Good Works were not more neceffary under the Law, than they are under the Gofpel y but there being no ProX'ifion made by the Law, as it is a Covenant of Works, to pardon our Infirmities, as there is in the Gofpel, as it is a Covenant of Grace, therefore we cannot be juftify'd by the Law of Mofes. The Law having two Acceptations, when it is oppofed to the Gofpel, it is not oppofed barely as a Law, but as a Co- venant. And the whole Defign of it taken in its largeft Senfe being to bring us unto Chrift, one Part of it ceafed of Courfe SERMONS on 139 Courfe, when Chrift, who is the End ofSr.RM. the Law, was eome ; the other is to con- VII. tinue in full Force for ever. As to t Word Faith, taken in a Gofpel-Senfe, it is not to be underftood only as a Belief of the Gofpel of Chrift, exclufive of good Works, fuch as St. James mentions, as availing to Justification, and fuch as St. Paul, when he talks of a juftifying Faith, comprehends under the Word Faith ; but it is to be underftood fo as to be always join'd With Good Works; and fo it includes the Doctrine of Faith or the Gofpel. The Law and the Gofpel being thus flated, they don't differ as to Good Works, any further than as the one is an Im- provement of the other, nor do they op- pofe each other as a Rule, but as thefe Works are made a Covenant, and are deftitute of that difpenfing Power of alter- ing the Conditions of that Covenant, which the Gofpel is poflefs'd of. And therefore when we find Good Works men- tion'd in Scripture, as neceffary to Jufti- fication, as we do very often in St. James, ; we are not by him to underftand thofe S Works SERMONS en SERM. Works, which the Jewsheld in Oppofition VII. to Faith, or thofe which the Jewifi Con- verts held equally in Conjunction with it, but thofe Works only, which are infeparable from it. Otherwife St. Peter, when he talks of St. Paul's Epiftles, that there arc iome Things in them hard to be under- ftood, whkh the Unlearn'd and Unftable wreft, meaning, as is fuppofed, the Doctrine of Juftifkation, which was mif- interpreted by fome to be by Faith with- out Works, would be guilty of the fame Fault, when he exhorts to add to Faith, as in fufficient of itfelf, Virtue, and to Virtue Knowledge, Temperance, Patience &c. and when he fays, that by Good Works, we are to make our Calling and Election fure. And therefore the Works of the Law, as it is made a Covenant, can't be thofe Works, which accompany Faith, which belong to a Covenant eftablim'd upon better Promifes, and is therefore call'd a better Covenant; and fo could not juftify the Performers of them, and make them thai SERMONS on 141 that Seed of Abraham to whom the SERM. JBleffing was promifed. But tho' the Law thus confider'd can't juftify us, does it therefore follow that our Obligations to the, Moral Law are made void thro' Faith ? God forbid. To objeft this is to (hew an Ignorance of the Law and the Gofpel too. For to fay, that be- caufe the Law, confider'd as the whole Law of Mofes, will not juftify us, that therefore that Part of it, which is call'd the Moral Law, is made null and void ; or elfe if we put it this way, to fay, that be- caufe that Part of the Law of Mofes, which is call'd the Moral Law, will not juftify us of itfelf, that therefore it is not at all neceffary towards it, is to argue very confufedly and inconfiftently : For tho' the moral Law itfelf is not binding as a Covenant, as I have already proved, yet it will by no Means follow from thence, that it is not binding as a Rule of Life. It has ftill the Force of a Moral Rule, becaufe there ftill remains the fame Reafon for it ; and is the lame in all Refpedts as before, except in this one, that an exact Obe- dience 141 SERMONS on SE R M. dience to it is not made a neceffary Con-. VII. dition of Salvation, but Repentance is ac- , r - cepted mftead of it. But however, if we are ftill bound to obey the Moral Law, very likely it may be objected, how then is the Gofpel a bet- ter Covenant, or the Gofpel Difpenfation eafjer, fmce the Law remains in Force as much now as it did before ? The anfwer- ing this Objection rightly, I hope, will very muph illuftrate the Matter, and put it in a clear Light If we confider the Gofpel, as a Moral Rule, in the fame Senfe as we do the Law, it is not at all eafier than the Law; becaufe the fame Duties are Hill binding upon us as before, and many more, as I (hall {hew under the next Head : For the Gofpel is not under a Difpenfation as a Law, or a Rule, but as a Covenant ; and it is ea(ier than the Law no otherwife, than as it is an eafier Covenant; but if we con- fider it likewife as a Covenant, then it is of great Advantage to us, where the Law ^s a Covenant is defective, and has a dif- penling Power which the Law has not, various SUBJECTS 143 .and in that Senfe only can be faid to make SERM. void the Law. And indeed if the Law confider'd in this View was not made void thro' Faith, the Gofpel could not be what it is. Jf Righteoufnefs come by the Law, fays the Apoftle, then Chrift is dead in vain : But further that the Gofpel does not make void the Law is plain from hence ; be- caufe by the fame Rule it would make void itfelf ; and fo inflead of fetting up one Law upon the Ruins of another, would moft effectually deftroy both ; and root out Law and Gofpel too. To make void the Law thro' Faith is to make Chriftianity a falfe Religion ; for the Law, as it is a Moral Rule, in which Senfe only we are now concern'd to underftand it, teaches us our Duty to God and our Neigh- bour, and it is the Buiinefs of the Gofpel to do the fame. It is not calculated to fill Men's Heads with thin metaphyfical Notions, but with true fubftantial Religion: 'Tis to make Men more knowing in what they arc meft of all concern'd to know ; viz. the Terms qf their Acceptance with 144 various SUBJECTS. SERM. with God. In fhort, the Gofpel is cal- y**~ culated to teach Men to lead good Lives ; and accordingly our blefled Saviour in the Dodtrine he taught, and efpecially in his moft admirable Sermon on the Mounts . takes a great deal of Pains to fix in the Minds of his Hearers the Obligations they lay under to perform the Moral Law j and condemns the Scribes and Pharifees for tranfgrefling that Law thro' their Tra- ditions : And when one afked him, what he (hould do to inherit eternal Life, he told him, if thou wilt enter into Life keep the Commandments -, and is fo far . from deftroying the Law, that he exprefs- !y fays, that one Jot, or one Tit tie Jh all in no wife pafsfrom the Law till all be ful- fiird. Our Saviour was fo far from having any Intention to deftroy the Moral J^aw, that he did not fo much as endeavour to alter even the judicial Law of the Country where he lived ; but left the Civil Government as he found it, in the Po- feffion of its own Rights and Priviledges, without adding any Thing but Precepts of Obedience. For indeed Chriftianity no various SUBJECTS. 145 no where meddles with the Civil Rights SERM. of Government, but only bids us be obe- VI1 ' dient to the higher Powers, without de- C/V " VJ termining the higher Powers in any other Senfe than the Powers in Being ; which one might reafonably expe<3 itftiould do, had it intended to have them appointed not according to the different Conftitutiona of different Nations, but according to fome other Rule. But to proceed: Should the Gofpel make void the Law, i c would not only make void itfelf, as going contrary to its own . Rule, but it would alfo make void the great Law of Nature ; and fo cut off like wife the only Rule of the Gentiles, by abrogating that Law, which God gave both yews and Gentiles, to enable them to dif- tinguilh between Right and Wrong. And what fort of Religion muft that be, that tends to deftroy human Nature, and rafe out all Footfteps of Good and Evil ? Not that which comes from above certainly ; and yet it muft be the Religion of thofe j who make void the Law thro' Faith. 'Twere much better after this Rate to be left vnrious SUBJECTS. SERM. ] e f t to a g tate o fNature, than to be cheated out of our Morality under the Pretence of a higher Difpenfatioii. What would So- crates or Plato think of that Religion, that fhuts Out all good Aftions , and provides nothing in their Stead, but a bare AiTent of the Mind to a certain Set of Propoli- tions, without being any further concerned about them. If the Gofpel-Freedom were a Liberty not from the Bondage of the Law* but of doing what is right in our own Eyes, it would be fuch a Difpenfa- tion, as no good Man would think it worth his while to trouble himfelf about, or t exchange his Morality for : It being a Difpenfation only to remove us from one Bondage to another, from the Bandage of the Law to the Bondage of Sin. A Reli- gion, thus built upon a Defect of Moral Goodnefs, has no Foundation in Nature* or Reafon to fupport it, *-- II. Having proved that the Gofpel does not make void the Law, I come now> Secondly, to prove, that it confirms and ftablithes it. Our blefled Saviour tells the Jews, who thought S E R. M O NS on 147 thought He came into the World to be a SERM. temporal Prince; and therefore entertained little elfe in their Minds but Pride and Ambition, grounded upon their Expe&a- tions of a conquering Meffiah, who mould free them from the Bondage of the Roman Yoke, and make them Matters of the World, (which Thoughts muft have been founded upon a Suppofition, that they were to be difpenfed with, as to their Ob- ligation to the Duties of the Moral Law) I fay he tells them, in order to root out all Thoughts of that kind, that He was not come to dejlroy the Law and the Prophets^ but to fulfil them. Our Saviour was fo great an Encoura- ger of the Moral Law, that almoft every thing he faid had a Tendency to advance it, but not in the leaft to exclude, or make it void. If under the Gofpcl-Difpenfation the Law is not only preferved entire, but improved, and carried to a greater Height, and made more perfect than it was before ; if the Gofpel takes off the thin Cloathing of the Letter, and explains it in a Senfe more worthy the Divine Legiflator, and inore agreeable even to it felf^ than the T In- 148 SERMONS on SERM. Interpretations of the Jewim Doftors ^1- would admit of, then it is plain, that the Gofpel does not only not make void the Law, but eftablifh and confirm it. It comes not to us indeed, like Bernice and Jfgrippa, in great Pomp and Magnificence, as before ; but when we have examined what Improvements the Gofpel has made upon it, we mall fee it in the more beauti- ful Garments of Holinefs and Purity. In the firft Commandment, the Jews are taught to have the Lord for their God, and to have none other befides Him. The Gofpel teaches us the fame, but adds migh- tily to it, by informing us, that the put- ting too great a Value upon the things of this Life is a having other Gods befides Him ; and therefore the giving up our felves to the Love of Riches is called the lerving of Mammon, which we can't do, and obey God at the fame time, becaufe it is a putting that Truft in Mammon, that is due only to the true God ; and is as much a fetting up of other Gods, as that was, when the IfraeKtes worshipped Baalim and JJhtaroth, and the Gods of ztratii various SUBJECTS. and Sidon Hence it is, that the Apoftle calls Covetoufnefs, Idolatry. The Second Commandment teaches them What they are to obferve, as to the Man- ner of worfhipping God ; that they fhould not do it under any Reprefentation what- foever. This too is much improved by the Gofpelj which teaches us that it muft not be done in a ritual figurative Manner; which after all was the greateft Pitch cf Wormip they could attain to under the Law, but in Spirit, and in Truth j and gives us a clearer Notion of the Divine Be- ing, and of his wonderful Love to his Creatures, difcovered in the furprizing Me- thod of our Redemption. The Third Commandment teaches them not to t ake the Name of the Lord their God in vain ; and is much eftablimed and improved by the Gofpel, when it teaches us, not only not to take the Name of God in vain by fwearing falfely by him, but that in our ordinary Communication we fhould not fwear at all ; nay we are not ib much as to fwear by Heaven, for it is God's Throne, nor by the Earth, for it H his Foot (tool. And we are further told T 2 by i5o SE R M o N s on SERM. by our Saviour, that we are to give an Ao VII. count for every idle Word. " As to the Fourth Commandment, the Gofpel clears it from the falfe Conftructi- ons; which the Scribes and Pharifees had put upon it, by condemning Ads of Cha- rity and Beneficence on the Seventh Day, as aBreachoftheSabbathj and yet fo great was their Hypocrify, that they themfelves would not, if an Afs or an Ox were fallen into a Pit, refufe to help him out on the Sabbath-Day. The Fifth Commandment, which is ve- ry ftricl: in enjoining the Duty of Children to Parents, isalfoeftabliflied by the Gofpe^ which condemns the evil Practices of the Jews, as to that Matter : For they faid, Wbofwoer Jhall fay to his Father, or his Mother, It is a Gift, by whatfoever thou might ft be profited by me, and Jhall not honour his Father, or his Mother, he Jhall be free. Thus, fays our Saviour, have ye made the Commmandments of God of none Eff'efl by your Tradition. The Sixth Commandment forbidding Murder is fulfilled, and improved by the Gofpel: various SUBJECTS. 151 Gofpel: For their Tradition ran thus, J/SERM. was faid by them cf 'old time ', Thou flalt ^11. not kill; and tobofoever flail kill, flail be in Danger of the judgment : But, faysiKpur Saviour, I fay unto you, that ivhofoever is angry 'with his Brother without a Caufe> flail be in Danger of the Judgment^ &c. The Seventh Commandment prohibit- ing Adultery is confirmed and eftablilhed by the Gofpel, with this Improvement, that it adds the Adultery of the Heart. The Eighth Commandment prohibiting Theft is fully confirmed and eftablifhed by thefe Words of our Saviour j AH things ivhatfoever ye would that Men flouJd do unto you, do ye even fo unto them. As to the Ninth Commandment, the Gofpel has improved it to fuch a Degree, that we are not only not to bear falfe Wit- nefs againft our Neighbour, but we are commanded not to judge him, or enter- tain an evil Thought of him j Judge not, that ye be not judged. The Tenth Commandment, which for- bids us to covet another's Property, is ful- plled and perfected by the Gofpel -, which corn- 152, SERMONS ort SERM. commands us to drive away all covetous VII. Thoughts and Defires, in that Prohibition ' taking no Thought for the Morrow.- Several other Paffages .might be produced, would the Time admit of it, to (hew, that t he Gofpel confirms and eftablimes the Law, either by making Additions to tt^ of by explaining and clearing it from the falfe GlofTes and Traditions of the Jews ; fo that the Gofpel is fo far from making void the Law, that it diftinguimes us from all the reft of the World, by a greater De- gree of Purity and Holinefs, and by a more fleady Adherence to that Moral Law it felf. which fome thought Cbrift came to > & j deftroy. How beautiful does the Gofpel appear in the lovely Ornaments of Righteoufnefs and Good Works j when we fee her vifiting the Fatherlefs and Widow, comforting the Broken-hearted, and difpenfing univerfal Love and Benevolence to all the World I This is the King's Daughter that is all glorious within, who is jairer than the Children of Men, becaufe God hath bleffed- hr for ever. 'Tis by the Gofpel that we. know various SUBJECTS. 15 -* know from what Slavery, what moreSsRM. than Egyptian Bondage, of Sin, we are VII. fet freej which we could not poffibly know any other Way: For as it is true, that we had not known Sin but by the Law, fo is it likewife true, that we had not known the Goodnefs and Love of God in delivering us from it, but by the Go/pel. There are alfo greater Sanctions of Re- wards and Puniftiments under the Gofpel, than there were under the Law; and it more clearly fets forth to us the Duty and the Nature of Repentance. It teaches us alfo the Infufficiency of our beft Perform- ances, "and tells us", that when wehavedonc all we can,we are unprofitable Servants. To do a good Action, and not to put it down to the Score of Merit, would have been thought a hard thing under the Law ; for they knew no other Condition of obtain- ing Happinefs: But the Gofpel teaches us better things; for there we are taught that as by one Man Sin entered into tbe World, and Death by Sin, Jo Death pajjed ii fm all Mvz, for that all have finned-, znd therefore our Good-Works, 5rnperfe# a* S R M o N s tho' he was not yet circumcifed ; fo that .ftill it fignifies nothing to them, who were the Children of Abraham, according to -the Flefh, and fo only Jews by Birth, but. only as they were the Seed, of Abraham, according to the Promife. Therefore it r j of faith, that it might be of Grace; to the End the Promife might be fure t o all the Seed, not to that only which is of the Law, but to that alfo, which is of the Faith of Abraham, who is the Father of us all Having proved that the Gofpel doe a not make void the Law, but that it con firms and eftablifhes it, I ihall draw a few Inferences from the whole, and fa conclude. Since 'various SUBJECTS. 155 Since then the Law is not made SERM void through Faith, it is incumbent upon VII. us not to act, as if it was. Let the Gofpel eftablilh the Law never fo much, yet unlefs we do fo too by dur good Lives, it will be to no Purpofe to us ; for a wick- ed Life will make void both Law and Gofpel too. And as there is one, who will accufe the Jews, even Mofes in whom they truft, fo there is one, who will accufe us Chriftians, if we think to make our Faith attone for our wicked Lives,^ even Chrift in whom we thus vainly truft. If the Gofpel is fo great a Refinement upon the Law, as we find it to be, let our Liv*es declare that it is fo ; that we may not be reproached both by Jew and Gentile, who " will be ready enough to fay, that the Dif- penfatiofi we are fo fond of, is nothing el(e but a Difpenfation for a wicked Life. 'Tis true, Sin (hall no longer have Dominion over us; for we are not under the Law, but under Grace : But what theh? flail we Sin, becaufe we are not un- der the Law, but under Grace ? God forbid. Know ye 'not, that to whom ye yield pur U fehes 156 SERMONS on SzRM.felves Servants to obey, his Servants yf VII. are to whom ye obey, whether of Sin un~ to Death y or- of Obedience unto Righteouf- nefs ? We were indeed made free from Sin, but it was to this End, that we ihould become Servants to Righteoufnefs. We ought to confider the Law and the Gofpel thoroughly ; and if we do fo \ve (hall find no reafon to think, that the keeping of the one will difpenfe with a Negledl of the other j nor that the Gofpel is oppofed to the Law as a Rule of Life ; for the Rules are not oppofed to one another, tho' the Covenants are. If we confider Faith as a diftindl thing from Morality, we don't confider it, as it is 3 for Faith is not the fame thing to a Chriftian, as it is to a Heathen : To him it is only an Aflent of the Mind, but to the other, it is a great deal more -, for it is al- ways accompanied with Good Works. Had the Jews underftood this, they could not have fuppofed, that St. Paul had fet himfelf up in oppofition to Mofes ; or that there was any Occafion for him to purify himfelf, to mew that ke walked orderly, and kept the Law. 'Tb various SUBJECTS. 157 Tis eafier to believe indeed than it is toSERM. practife ; and many People think, that if they have Faith all is well: And fo kfci deed it is, if they have it ; but unlefs it be attended with Good Works, the Misfortune of it is, that at the fame time they value themfelves fo much upon their Faith, like an Argument that proves too much, it ferves only to demonftrate, that they have believed themfelves even into a State of Infidelity, for it is not Faith, but Confi- dence. It is not Faith, as it is defcribed by our Saviour ; and therefore it is no Faith at all, in the Gofpel-fenfe of the Word. Tis certainly a Matter of great Concern to underftand the true Defign of the Law and of the Gofpel, that we may know the Nature of that Slavery from which we are fet free, and of that Liberty to which we are advanced. And fince the Law and the Gofpel agree fo well together, wa ought not to contribute any thing to make them difagree. Let us fanftify the Lord God in our Hearts; that if any, envying s the Liberty and Happinefs of the U 2 Gof- 158 SE iv MO K s on SERM. Gofpel, (hould fpeak Evil of us, as pf evil Doers, they may be aihamed, that falfely accufe our -good Converfation in Chrift. This is to behave like the Difciples of Chrift ; to adt agreeable to the Excellency of the Gofpel, and the Dignity of the Law ; and to mark out a ftrait andeafy Path to that State of Happinefs, where we may hope to fit down with Mofes and the Pro? .phets, and Chrift and his Apofllc^ in the Kingdom of God for ever* ; :.;.:'' SER. S E R M O N VIII. 2 PETER ii. 10. . imwutoi While thsy promife them Liberty > they tkemfehes are tie Servants of Corruption. T has been the way of thofe, wuug have apoftatiz'd from Chriftiani- VIIL ty, to do it upon this Principle, in hopes of finding more Liberty on the other fide of the Queflion ; and it has been the conftant Practice of thofe, whofe Bufinefs it has been to make Profelytes that way, like the falfe Teachers in the Text, to promife it them ; as if the Chrif- tian Religion was calculated to introduce Slavery, and. the Profeffors of it were in a Confpiracy againft the Liberty of Man- kind : whereas this is fo far from being true, 160 SERMONS on SERM. true, that on the contrary Chriftianity VIII. ca n no more countenance, or admit of Slavery, than any other Scheme can give Liberty ; nay, 'tis the only Scheme in the World, in which Liberty has any Place. All within this Circle is Liberty and Free- dom ; all without is Bondage and Slavery : Accordingly, all good Chriftians are, and ever have been free, and all others are, and ever have been Slaves. No doubt there will always be fome, who will be forward enough to promife Liberty upon another Footing : the moft profligate and abandon'd Part of Mankind will not be wanting in Pretences of this kind ; but then the Performance will never come up to the Promife : There may in- deed be a Shew of Liberty, fomething that may look like it at firft Sight, but a good Eye will quickly fee thro' the thin Difguife, perceive the Chain that is con- ceal'd under it, and difcover that they, who thus promife Liberty, are themfelves the Servants of Corruption. But for a further Illuftration of this Point, I purpofe in my following Difcourfe to fhew, Firft, various SUBJECTS. 161 Firft, What Liberty is. SERM. Secondly, fbat Chrijlianity has the VIII. only Claim to it. Thirdly, That all Pretences to it from the .Side of Infidelity are falje and groundlefs. Firft then I am to (hew, What Liberty is. And there is the more neceffity for having a right Notion of this, becaufc no Word has been more mif-underftood, or occafion'd greater Errors and Miftakes. By Liberty then, confider'd as the Privi- kge of Human Nature, (in which Senfe only we now confider it) we are not to un- derftand a Power of doing as we pleafe, exclufive of all poffible Motives of Ac- tion ; a Power of doing Right or Wrong, Good or Evil : This is indeed an Opinion many have entertain'd of Liberty, who have accordingly reprefented Man, their Free- Agent, as a Being endued with a ftrange Sort of Freedom, a Freedom to do all this, or any thing elfe. But now to de- nominate a Man free, becaufe he has Power to do Evil, is little elfe but an Abufe of Words : For the Queftion is not, whether a t6z SE R M o N s on SERM. a Man can do Right or Wrong, Good of VIII. Evil, but in doing which he may be ac- counted free. Every Tendency to Evil is a Tendency likewife in exact Proportion to Slavery, becaufe it is a Clog, and Incum- berance upon the Mind, that hinders it from exerting itfelf as it ought ; and fure- ly no Man would think himfelf the freer for being bound or confin'd ; but a Man would then think himfelf free, when he had it in his Power to renounce all Ob- ftacles of that Kind. Liberty then is not the having it in our Power to chufe Right or Wrong; for tho* we may do either of thefe, yet we can't be therefore faid to be free, but when we chufe what is Right : for to be able to chufe Wrong implies a Defect, and every Defect is a want of fo much Liberty. God to be fure is free, and if Liberty is a Privilege, he muft have it to an infinite Perfection ; and yet no one, I fuppofe, will fay he has a Power to chufe Wrong, or do Evil. No. His Liberty confifts in an infinite Remove from this : therefore Li- berty in the abftradt Nature of it confifts in various SUBJECTS. 163 in a Power of doing Right, and in a Re- SERM. mbval of every tiling, that (lands in the way of it, either in thinking, believing, ading, or exerting any Faculty within us. Perfect Liberty is the Property of God only: But as we are his Image in this, as well as other refpeds, we liave a Ray of it like wife in ourfelves; only, as we are imperfed Creatures, and a want of Per- fedion being a proportionable Want of Li* berty, we have it but in an itnperfed De- gree 3 fuch a Degree j as Human Nature will admit of. H.aving thus (hewn what Liberty is, I come now to (hew, Secondly, That Chriftianity has the only Claim to it. Liberty thus underftood is to be met with only io the Chriftian Scheme, becaufe there only, (fupppfing Chriftianity to be a true Religion j and whether jt is pr not muft be determin'd by other ArguQents : However this is no un- f eftfonalple Suppofition, if we will but al- low, that People had the fame Ufe of their RsftfQn and their Senfes at the firft Pro- pagation of it, as they have now, and that Tradition has at leaft the fame Weight X with 164 SERMONS on SERM. with refpedt to the facred Writings, as it VIII. has with refpedl to profane;) I lay, be- ufe there only is a Provifion made for the Imperfections of Human Nature ; which, by the way, is a corroborating Argument of the Truth of it, no other Scheme of Religion in the World befides having ever propos'd fuch advantages to Humankind. If we fuppofe Defects and Imperfec- tions in Man, we muft fuppofe, at the fame time, a Want of fo much Liberty -, and fo if we fuppofe a Remedy for thefe Defects, we of courfe fuppofe a proportionable Ad - dition of Liberty. Now, I believe, it will be readily enough agreed on all Hands, that there are fome defects in Human - Nature. They who carry Human-Rea- fon ever fo high will, I fuppofe, acknow- ledge there are fome Bounds to it ; that it is defective in fome things : But how ftiall thefe Defects be remedied ? Let us turn over the various Syftems of Man's Wi dom, and fee whether any Affiftance may be fetch'd from thence. Will any of the Gods of Human Imagination afford us any Help? various SUBJECTS. 165 Help ? Will the Idols we fet up in our SERM. own Hearts relieve us ? No. Could we indeed fuppofe the Reafon of Man length- en'd out to Infinity, we muft then fup- pofe him perfect, and confequently free : But the Poffibility of this is not to be fup- pofed of any Creature whatfoever; much lefs that it actually is the Cafe of Man, who we find is compafs'd about with In- firmities of every kind. But now the Chriftian Religion fupplies the Want of this ; not, as fome think, by fetting afide Reafon, but, leaving to Rea- fon all its Advantages, by affifting it with the Reafon of God. For if we believe Chriftianity to be a true Religion, we have by virtue of that Faith, befides the Advantage of our own Reafon, the Bene- fit alfo of the Reafon of God. Thus a Chriftian, tho' of himfelf in no refpect more excellent than another Man, yet by means of the Divine Reafon, which is now by Faith become his own, is exalted to a fuperior Clafs of Beings, and (nines with the Divine Splendor of this Heavenly Light, while the reft of Man kind are funk down 1 66 S E R M O tfs on SEKM. down an amazing Depth below, groping VIII. in the thick Darknefs and Obfcurity of their own Inventions, This Faith then is not any thing befides, or oppofite to Rea-? fon, but is itfelf a Principle, that procures us the Benefit of the higheft, and moil jkrfea Reafon. Jt alfb improves every Spring and Move- ment of As3:fc>ri within us to its utaioft Perfection. The tyfo great Springs' of all Human A&ibn's" are generally thought to be Hopes and Fears. Now let us confi- der Chriftunity wkh refped: to both thefe, & directing them to their proper Object^ to which they muft operate in eat Pro- portion. Now as every thing in this Life is caiu'al and uncertain, and confequen-dy Good and Evil, Happintfs and Mifery are ib too, the Hopes and Fears that belong to thefe muft and ought to be pfoportio" nably fmall, languid, and feeble : For if they rife to any great Height, we lay out more upon thefe things than thfey defervej but if we fuppofe Good aJnd- Evil, Happi- re(s and Mifery to be no logger cafaal bnt certain, which we mull fuppofe in the Chriftian various SUBJECTS. j 67 Chriftian Scheme -, if we fuppofe them taSERM. be no longer temporal things, but car- VIII. ried 6ut into all Futurity, our Hopes and Fears m-uft and ought then to rile in Proportion, to receive new Life and Vi- gour, and be ftrong enough to influence a Set of good arid virtuous Actions > and ia a mind rightly difpos'd by Religion they will do fo. In fliort, as eternal Happinefs and Mi- fery is the Sura of all Happinefs and Mi- fery, fo the Hope of the one, and Fear of the other is, or ought to be, the Sum of all Hopes and Fears. So that thefe Hopes and Fears, thus regulated by Reli- gion, tho' they will ftill be emplo/d about things in this Life, becauie Religion no way interferes in this matter, being not de- figned to deftroy and root them out, but to direct and perfect them ; yet ftill, if a Man acts right, they will be in exact Proportion, as the Good and Evil, Hap- pinefs and Mifery, of this Life ffo.nds to tiheGood and Evil, Happinefs and Mifery of the next. We may indeed lay them out too nwch upon temporal things, but then 168 SERMONS on SERM. then we are not free in doing this, but are VIII. a t the fame time enflav'd to fomethine or f ^\ ^^. 1 other, that hinders us from giving them a true Direction and their juft Meafures. And as to every other Principle of Thought and Action Chriftianity fets us free, by di* reding all the Faculties of the mind to their proper Objects. In a word, and to de- fcribe the whole Power of Ghriflianity at once. As the Devil is the great Enflaver of Mankind, and Sin the Chain that ties them down to Bondage , fo Chrift by con- quering this Tyrant has loos'd the Chain, and redeem'd us from the Slavery of it, and fo is truly and properly the Saviour, and Redeemer of Mankind : So true is that Saying of St. John, If the Son makes its free y then are we free indeed: But to this Liberty we are entitled only by the Gofpel. I come now to hew, Thirdly, That Pretences to it from the Side of Infidelity are falfe, and ground- lefs. And here let us fee what Liberty it is, that Infidelity pretends to promife. Is it a Liberty that will free us from every In- cumbrance ? Will it deliver us from the Dominion various SUBJECTS. I ^ Dominion of Sin, and make us free in all SERM. our thoughts and Actions? /. e. Will VIII. it remove every thing, that can hinder us from thinking, and doing right? For this I have (hewn to be the Nature of true Liberty. If ib, we have nothing more to do but to feek it out and embrace it : But who ever met with this ineftimable Jewel in any earthly Treafure ? We have often heard of Liberty indeed, and great things have of late been faid of it. A par- ticular Set of Men, who have thrown off the Ties of Religion and Nature, and fet themfelves loofe from their Dcpendance upon God and the World about them ; how, under Pretence of doing Honour to Reafon, have fap'd the Foundation of it, and inftead of rooting out, and de- ftroying'all Faith, which, if they know theif own Principles, is what they are concern'd to do, have fet up a mon- ftrous and unnatural Credulity in the room of it ; who have difcarded Senfe, and the Paflions, and rob'd Human Nature of the kindeft Impreflions ftamp'd upon it by the Divine Being j thefe have indeed talk'd of jyo SERMONS on SERM. of being free, /'. e. free to do what as VIII. right in their own Eyes; to do right or wrong, jufl as it happens ; free from all Laws and Obligations whatfoever. Now, if they could make it out, that they are then indeed free, when they do whatever they pleafe, whatever Fancy, or Caprice leads them to ; that when they difpenfe with the Obligations which the Wifdom of God and Man has laid upon them, they become then fo free, as to be fubjecl: to no other Laws, or Obligations, ther e might befomePlaufibility in it : But if, on the contrary, when they thus do what is right in their own Eyes, they are not therefore free, but tied down and enflav'd to fome wrong Principle within : If when .they make off all Religious Obliga- tions, they are .at the fame time bound faftcr with the ftroqg Cords of Ohftinaey, and Pervertenefs: If they defpife and de- preciate the Common -Senfe and Reafon .of all Men, and yet at the fame time ido- lize, and deify their own, and Liberty is nothing elfe in fad -but Licentioufnefsj then they, that pretend thus to promife Liberty, various SUBJECTS. 171 Liberty, promife more than they can per- SERM. form. Let us now fee whether this be not the Cafe. And here, the firft Step, that is taken in order to procure Liberty from the fide of Infidelity, is that which moft effectu- ally drives Men from it ; and that is, to fhake off all Reveal'd Religion : For to fet out upon this Principle is to fet out upon a Principle of Slavery; it is to fet out with a full Refolution not to give the Faculties within us their proper Scope, but to hin- der the free Exercife of them by fub- jecting all to one, or by making one or two to govern the reft as for example, the making the Reafon, which is but a lingle thing, and that too rather the Re- fult of all the reft, than a leading Princi- ple, predominant over every thing elfe. For if the Faculties had the Power to ex- ercife themfelves as they ought, Revela- tion muft have a Weight with us in Pro- portion to its Truth ; i. e. if we believe, and hope, and fear, &c. freely, Revela- tion muft carry a Weight with it in Pro- portion to the Reafon there is in it for fo Y doing; S E & M O N S on SE R M. doing ; but if we allow either of thefe too VIII. g rea a wdght, it will of courfe bear down the reft in exact Proportion ; and tho' a Man may do this, yet Obfti- nacy, and not Liberty, muft be the Princi- ple by wich he does it . But after all, let us examine a little more particularly how the throwing off Revela- tion fets a Man at Liberty. Does he by leav- ing this go over to fome better Scheme ? This is pretended, and in order to make \ out, it is faid, that Reafbn alone is a fuffi- .cient Guide, and in following that we fol- low Nature, and confequently Chriftianity, being by the Suppofition unnecefTary, be- comes an Incumbrance, and muft be ta- ken off in order to be free, and at liberty. If by Reafon was meant right Reafon, this might be true enough, if we could but tell how to come at it : But this is not the Meaning of it, nor do they mean the Reafon of Mankind, but only an infinitely fraall Pittance of it, the Reafon of anlndi- dual, which comes as fliort of right Rea- fon, as finite does of infinite ; and not only fo, but is alfo as much below the Reafon various SUBJECTS. 173 Reafon of Mankind, as a Part is lefs than SERM. the Whole. Now befides the Abfurdity of V1IL " crowding the whole of Reafon into a Part, that is not capable of containing it, this is to fet up Mankind independant upon one another, every one an abfolute Lord for himfelf , contrary to the Nature of his Condition and Make. Befides, if this were the Cafe, that v every one's own Reafon were to be his Re- ligion, there muft then be as many Reli- gions as there are Men in the World, or rather no Religon at all ; for every one having by the Suppofition as much a Right to a Syftem of his own, as every other, there would never be a Public Ma- nifeftation of any, bscaufe it would want a proper Authority to fupport it j which in this Cafe could not be had, no one be- ing of Importance enough to be a Center of Unity to the reft ; and fo every one would move round his own Axis with- out any Dependance upon, or Relation to any other, and would never unite in any regular Syftem, but perpetually move on 7 2 in 174 SERMONS on SERM. in the utmoft Diforder and Confufion. And indeed, to fay the Truth with refpecl: to all human Schemes whatfoever* bow wifefoever the Authors of them may be, yet if they have not infinite Wifdom, tho' it is right to put fome Truft in them in proportion to their Knowledge, they can have no Foundation in them for an abfolute Truft. This belongs only to an abfblute Perfection. ut the Scheme I am talking of, does not fuppofe any Degree of Truft to be plac'd any where, but fets out in Defiance of all Faith: And in this refpecl: modern Deifm is worfe than Heathenifm, becaufe that does not exclude Faith, but only wants to know how to make it compleat^ Accordingly the true Deifts, among whom we may reckon fome of the beft of the Philofophers, never made Unbelief a Principle ; If they did not believe a Re- velation, it was certainly not out of a Prin- ciple of difoelieving every thing, but be- caufe they were out of the Reach of it, and for want of having it rightly recom mended various SUBJECTS mended to their Faith. Befides, Faith SERM being a fort of an unknown Principle be- VIII. fore Chriftianity, what there was of it, " as a Syftem, being in the PoiTeffion of a Handful of People in Judea, it would not be fo great a Surprize, if they had not Co eafily embrac'd a Revelation, if it had been offer'd them : But after Chriftianity has been eftabliftied for fo many Hundred Years, and Faith is known to be not only a Principle in Man, but a reafonable one too, to difbdieve now argues a great Sla- very fomewhere in Heart, or Mind, or both. But do they, who are for making off Faith, do fo in reality ? Are they uni- form, and all of a Piece in this Practice? No, they make it off only in Religion ; they are not Unbelievers, but only with refpect to Chriftianity ; in no other Cafe, but only where there is thegreateft Foun- dation for Faith : They believe ftill at the fame time that they profefs not to do it, and that too upon the fmalleft Grounds without any real Reafon at all : They $an believe, that the Reafon of every fin- 176 SERMONS an SERM. gle Man is equal to the Reafon of all Mankind ; and not only fo, but to the Reafon of God : They can believe, that" tho' God made Man a Creature com- pounded of Senfe and Paflions, which ought to have their proper Influence, to- gether with a mind capable of Reflexion, all which together make up what we call a Rational Creature, yet that he ought to tear this Compofition afunder, render one half of it ufelefs, and fet up the other to act a Part to which it is not at all propor- tion'd ; for notwithstanding all the fine Things, that fome have faid of Humane Reafon, and the extraordinary Compli- ments that have been paid to it, as if it really was right Reafon, or Reafon in Per- fection, yet it is in truth a Compofition of all thefe, or very much influenc'd by them ; for let a Man endeavour to reafon ever fo abftractedly, yet the Senfes and the other Faculties will ileal in, if I may fo call it, infenfibly into the Imagina- tion, and give a Tincture to the Thought : They can, I fay, digeft fuch Contradic- tions as thefe: They can believe themfelves out various SUBJECTS. 177 out of their Senfes; nay, believe awaySERM. their very Belief. But this is a very un- V *** fair Practice ; for Faith ought to be quite difcarded, or elie it fhould be fhewn why Chriftianity is the only Scheme, that fhould be depriv'd of it. But what, if after all, Reafon itfelf fhould lead us to Revelation ? Nay, that Revelation mould be founded upon the higheft Reafon ? 'Tis true it is an Objed: of Faith, but it is neverthelefs reafona- ble for that, but on the contrary it contains in it the Sum of all Reafon, it is the Rea- fon of God Subftituted in the room of the Reafon of Man. It appears then now that Faith is by no means contrary to Reafon, but Reafon fublimated, and carried to a higher Pitch : To (hake it off therefore, when it has all the Marks of a Revelation come from God (which I mall now take for granted, be- caufe this muft depend upon fome other Proof, which neither the Time, nor Subject will permit me to enter upon here) to (hake it off, I fay, under Pretence of being go- vern'd by Reafon, as if Faith was fome- vvhat SERMONS on SERM. what contrary to it, is a ftrong Symptom " of a flavilh Mind, and argues the fame Weaknefs, as it would be to (hake off Reafon, or any other part of the Human Cornpofition ; nay more, for if any Prin- ciple is predominant in Human Nature, Faith is that Principle ; for the World is govern'd by it, and they themfelves too, who at the fame time difpute againft it, this being an Elasticity in the mind of Man, an Endeavour to recover its for- mer State, however it may be depriv'd of it for a certain time. Religion, Philofo. phy, nay even Trade, and every Thing in Human Life turn upon this Axis j all fe- cular and temporal things being carried on by Faith in Man, all religious and fpiritual things by Faith in God ; all the Know- ledge we have from abroad depends upon a Faith in others, and we muft likewife put a Faith in ourfelves too, and give every Faculty within us Credit for fo much Knowledge as we receive from thence. I do not fay this to depreciate Reafon, or make it lefs than it is, but only to fhew that it is not greater, and that there are other v a nous SUBJECTS. 179 other Principles in Man, that put in for SERM. at leaft an equal Share with it. In Beings VIII. that are all Mind and Spirit, Reafon may bs the Sole Governing Principle 5 but where there is a mixture of Senle along \vith it, it muft do as it can, and we ought to reft fatisfied with that Share of it that belongs to fuch a State : However where it is defective, Faith is that Prin- ple that is to help it out, and' give it all the Perfection it is capable of. But it is faid, that the Religion of Na- ture or Reafon is a plain fimple thing, cal- culated for the Benefit of all Mankind, which Revelation is not, but only fome- what thrown in by the Craft of dcfigning Men, to harafs and perplex Mankind, and make them Slaves and Bigots; and that it is always univerfally the fame, whereas Revelation is a precarious, change- able Thing, fubject to Alterations, on z thing in one Age, and another thing in another, and therefore cannot be fuppos'd to come from God, who is infinite in Widom, as well as every thing elfe, and therefore would do nothing that ihould Z want jgo SERMONS 0# SERM. want any Correction, or Amendment. VIII. As to the firft part of the Objection, that Reafon is a plain fimple thing, cal- culated for the Benefit of all Mankind, I do not know any one, who denies the Benefit of it, as far as it goes j but that it is calculated for fo univerfal a Benefit as Revelation, is falfe. For the Bulk of Man- kind are not provided for in the way of Reafon, whatever fome particular People may be, or rather fancy themfelves to be $ whereas in the way of Faith, where Peo- ple find Employment for their Eyes and Ears, and the Faculties together, they are all equally provided for ; all are capable of the Grounds of Faith, tho' they are not capable of abftracted Reafon. As to the Purity and Simplicity of it, I think I have faid enough already, and I will only add further, that whenever they talk of this, they muft mean not Human Rea- fon, but Right Reafon, or the Reafon of God, which is nothing at all to the Pur- pofe. Then as to the other Part of the Ob- jection, that Reafon is always univerfally the various SUBJECTS. i8r the fame, whereas Revelation is a change- SERM- able thing, it is readily granted, that Right Reafon is fo, but the Reafon of Man is not : For the Reafon of one Age and Nature is very different from the Reafon of another Age and Nature ; nay, the Rea- fon of one Man is not the fame at diffe- rent Times. Now where is this Difference in Revelation ? How does that alter, or vary ? It is the fame now, as it ever has been ; only there are different Manifefta- tions of it at different Times. The Faith of a Chriftian is not a different thing from ihe Faith of a Jew^ or any other Faith, only as it comprehends, .and fwallows up .all the reft ; /. t. juft as different as the Whole is from its Parts ; which Diffeernce is only this, that the Whole is not any one Part more than another, but all the Parts .united : So that God did not mend his own Work by making Faith to (hirie out more at one time than another, for He perfected, and compleated it at once ; but the Alteration is in Ourfelves, and in our way of apprehending Things: For, being qn)y Creatures of Time in this prefent Z 2 State, 1 8s SERMONS on SERM. State, we fee every thing by Succefiion, and can fee no more of any thing, than the Portion of Time we take up will ad- mit of. The whole of the Matter in (hort is this : Liberty confifts in a Power of thinking and acting right ; and we are then moft free, when nothing hinders us from it : But now Man, as he is an imperfect Creature, muft of courfe, as far as he is imperfect, want fo much Liberty ; /. e. he muft be in Proportion a Slave ; and the greater this Imperfection is, the greater will be the Slavery of fuch a Being. The Scripture gives us an Account ot the Ori- ginal of this Imperfection, that it was breught into the World by Sin ; which the Deift defpifes and ridicules: But then it is eafier to laugh at Things than to dif- provethem; and this Account muft be allow'd to ftand good, till we have a bet- ter in the room of it. 'Tis plain, Man could not be made incapable of Error without being made a God at the fame Time; and if he was capable of Error, W*hp can take upon him to prove that he did various S u B j EC T s. 783 did not err? But however, be that as itSERM. will, Defects there are, and confequently VIII. a Want of Liberty : The Introduction of Evil, come which way it will into the World, being an Introduction of Slavery, the next Queftion then is, where (hall we find a Remedy for it ? What fays Hu- man Reafon to this ? Why, nothing at all ; but, confcious of her own Weaknefs, fends us to feek a Remedy from Faith : Accord- * ingly, in all Ages and Countries of the ' % World, Faith, of one kind or other, has ever fubfifted, there being always a Ground and Foundation for it, arifing from the Defects of Reafon, excepting only among a few Advocates for Human Reafon, who, carrying the Matter too far, would needs make it every thing, infinitely perfect, an abfolute Guide in all things, &c. But in the mean time it is not fo, it is not an ab- folute Guide in Philofophy, any more than in Religion. This Reafoning of theirs goes all along upon the Supposition that Men are otherwife than they are, like the Stoic Philofopby, which, miftaking .(he Nature of Man, was level'd againft more 1 84 SERMONS 0# SERM.more than one half of the Human Com- pofition, and calculated to perfwade Men out of their Senfes, by directing them to regard nothing but Reafon : But yet, not- with (landing this, we find that this was only thwarting Nature all the while ; for the Stoics wen ton believing, hoping, fear- ing, loving, &c. as thefe Gentlemen, and all the reft of the World do : Thus, at the fame time that they pretend to have difbanded all the Forces that come from any other Quarter but Reafon, they are forc'd to call the Paffions to their Affiftance ftiil ; therefore it matters not how it ap- pears in Speculation, fmce the Fact is otherwife. They talk great things indeed of Uni- formity, and Immutability of Reafon, but the Fact wants to be prov'd, fince it has not yet been able with all thefe Advantages to produce any one confident Scheme. Morality and Virtue too are much talk'd of, as if they were to be found no where .but in Deifm, but they have there no folid Foundation to reft upon : For no Man has ever had Authority enough to fettle various SUBJECTS. 185 fettle the abfolute Nature of it, nor to SJJRM. give it a proper Sanction : So that this VIII. Religionof Nature, or Reafon, is no on e < knows what, becaufe it is to be found no one knows where. Now upon the Foot of Chriftianity every thing is clear and eafy ; here every thing goes on confiftent with Nature. This Scheme confiders Man, as being what he is, in a State of Corruption and Slavery by Sin ; for of whom a Man is overcome, of the fame is he brought in Bondage, and provides a Remedy for it by directing every Faculty within us to its proper Object. It deftroys no Advantage to be had from Reafon, but carries it on to greater Perfection : It deftroys Reafon indeed, when it becomes arrogant, and exalts itfelf into the Throne of God. In this Senfe it is, that it deftroys the Wif- dom of the Wife , and brings to nothing tJx Underjlanding of the Prudent : For, as the Apoftle further obferves, God hath made foolijh the Wifdom of this World. And we {hall fee a lively Inftance of this, if we compare two Sorts of People together ; they !86 S E R M o N s on SERM. tbey who rely entirely upon Philofophy, VIII. and theWifdom of Man ; and they, who, knowing nothing of this, depend only upon that Wifdom, which the Greeks call'd Foolilhnefs. It is very remarkable, that a plain honeft Man has a better Notion^of things than the other with all his Learning and Philofophy : For fuch a one ads more agreable to the Simplicity of Nature, gives his Faculties room to exert themfelves in a kindly Manner, and fuffers them to have their proper Influence : Whereas, on the contrary, the Man of Reafon is for ever contradicYmg Nature; the Senfes, thePaf- fions are nothing in his Scheme; he be- lieves nothing unlefs he fees the Reafon of it j accordingly Philofophy is bound to give it him, which it does : And -what is it after all, but one Link of that grand uni- verlal Chain that is drawn over all Nature, and reaches up to the Infinity of God. How much wifer does he aft, who, find- ing the Impoffibility'of difcerningthe whole of any one thing in Nature, /. e. the thing with all its Relations, refts fatisfied in the Faith of God, who from an abfolute Knowledge various SUBJECTS. 187 Knowledge of all Nature has furnim'd SERM. him with fuch Rules, as are the Refult of the infinite Relations of Things, which is of the fame Advantage to him, as if he knew all Nature himfelf ? Here then lies the Difference between the two Schemes : Philofophy refers all things to the Wifdom of Man, and Faith refers all things to the Divine Wifdom ; that it may not ftand, as the Apo- flle fays, in the Power of Man, but in the Wifdom of God. In one Scheme alj things are confident, a Man acts agreable to his Make, and does not labour under the Abfurdity of contradicting Nature : In the other every thing is revers'd, it is all Confufion and Inconiiftency, it is un- hinging the whole Human Frame, and rooting up the Foundations of Reafon, Morality, Religion, and every thing ; and is as contrary to true Philofophy, as it is to Religion : For to difcard the Senfes and the Pallions, when there is a Ufe for them in Nature, and to reject Faith, when every thing offers that is proper to create it, is altogether as unphilofophical, if Philofo- A a pby i S S SERMONS on SERM. phy had a fair Hearing, as it would be to ' refufe to exert any one Act of our Reafon. Now where after all is the Seat of Li- berty ? And who is the free Man ? Does it confift in a Power of oppofing the Truth, fitting loofe to every thing, and in clog- Ing the Wheels of the grand Machine of Human Nature? Or, is a Man therefore free, becaufe he can, or will do fo ? No. Liberty is not a fluctuating thing, an In- difference to Truth or Falfhood, but a happy Situation of - the Mind to Truth only ; and he is more or lefs free, whofc Mind is more or lefs fituated that Way. Philofophy cannot give us that Situation, becaufe it cannot direct us to abfolute Truth ; but if we do not prevent it, it will lead us to that that can, which is to Faith, and this is all it can do. Thus then it appears, that Faith alone can give us Liberty, and that they, who promife it upon any other Foundation, are themfelves the Servants of Corruption. And thus does that Faith, which was to the yews a Stumbling-Block, and to the Greeks FoolHhnefs, .. and to every Unba- liever 'various SUBJECTS. 189 liever ever fmce, Nonfenfe and Abfurdity, SERM. triumph over all the Wifdom and Philo- VIII. fophy of Man: And among the many great and excellent Advantages that attend it, this one is moft remarkable, which is the redeeming the captivated World from the Bondage of Corruption into the glorious Liberty of the Children of God. It only remains for us, who are thus call'd to Liberty, to take care not to turn it into Licentioufnefs ; and to remem- ber what I have already often obferv'd} that this Liberty does not authorize us to do Right or Wrong, Good or Evil : People may indeed call this Liberty, becaufe they find in themfelves a Power to do fo, but the true Chriftian Liberty direds us only to what is Right and Good. In fhort, Liberty is the Abfence of Sla- very, of every thing that can lay an Incum- brance upon the Mind j and the more we enjoy of it, fo much the more mall we be like that Divine Being, who is the Sum of Liberty, as he is the Sum of all things. A a i S E R- SERMON IX, P R o v. iii. 27. f Withhold not Good from them to whom it ts due, and however we may with falfe Excufes impofe upon Men, yet I prefume we need not be informed, how little they will avail in the Sight of God. Thofe, who have the Talent in their Hands, are certainly accountable for the Mifmanagement of it. If we confider this as we ought, and re- member likewife how uncertain all things are, we (hould let flip no Opportunity of doing Good, when it is in our Power to do it. This is the Advice of the Wife Man in the Words immediately following the Text, Say not unto thy Neighbour, go, and come again, and 'To-morrow I will give tbee, when thou haft it by thee. And what can be more reafonablej for (not to mention that whatever it is that hinders a Man from doing Good To-day, when he has it in his Power, will likewife do fo To-morrow,) how does he know, what may happen To-morrow ? How is he certain what a Day may bring forth ? But why To-morrow, any more than To-day ? To-morrow we may die, and lofeall Op- portunity of doing Good: But fuppofing we various SUBJECTS. 197 we fhould not, yet as every Morning SERM, brings along with it a new Day, fo does it alfo a Variety of new Circumflances and Revolutions. But mould a Man live never fo long, perhaps he may never meet with an Opportunity of doing fo much Good any more: The Seafonablenefs of the Charity much increafes the Value of it; for as a Word fpoken, fo alfb a Gift given in Seafon, how good is it ? We muft be care- full how we fay it is not m our Power to do Good, when we ourfelves are the Occa- fionof it : For tho' this Debt is limited and reftrained, and can extend only to thofe who are able to difcharge it, yet they will by no means be excufed from doing it, who put it out of their Power, and throw away their Abilities in idle and ufelefs Di- verfions, when they have fo many Oppor. tunities of employing them to relieve the Neceffities of the Poor, who are all the while perifhing for want of the common Neceffaries of Life: For indeed this is throwing away what is not our own -, it is withholding Good from them who are the proper Owners of it, and to indulge B b 2 and 198 SERMONS on SERM. and recreate ourfelves at the Ex pence of others. And indeed this is a Cuftom too much obferv'd, and which can never be too much lamented. People fquander away that very often in unlawful, or at leaft, ii* vain and trifling Pleafures, which, by a well-timed Charity, would refrefh the Spi- rits of the Needy, and fave a Soul alive* There is another Sort of People, who if a Brother or a Sifter be naked, and deftitute of daily Food, will fay unto them, Depart in Peace, be ye warmed, or filled, not- with (landing they will not give them thofc things, which are needful to the Body ; and that, becaufe they fay, they cannot afford it, when perhaps their Income is much greater, and their Outgoings much lets, than any of their Neighbours. I put it thus, becaufe a Man may have a great Income, and yet may not be able to do fo much Good as one who has lefs, becaufe his Outgoings may be greater, upon the ac- count of a numerous Family and poor Re- lations, which we are preingaged to pro- vide for in the firft Place, and other Cir- cumftances which demand greater Expen- various S u B j EC T s. ces, according to the Station of Life he is SERM. in ; but the greater a Man's Income is, IX and the lefs his Outgoings, the harder w it be for him to prove, that he cannot af- ford to do Good with it. But there are a Sort of People in the World, who think they were born for their own private Ends, and that a good or bad Life confifts in the Quantity of Money they have fcraped to- gether j without confidering they were born for the Goodof Community -, and that if God had not been more merciful to them, than they are to their Fellow-creatures, notwithftanding all their Endeavours, they would not have fo great a Talent put into their Hands to do Good withal. However, in People of this Temper one thing is very furprizing, that as they withhold Good from others, fo they do generally from themfelves too, and out of a ftrange fort of Frugality, fuffer themfelves to want even for fear they mould want ; which is to run into Danger in order to avoid it, and to anticipate future Miferies, which are only poffible, by making them certain and prefent ; which is fuch an odd Mix- ture SERMONS on SERM tureof Inconfiftencies, and fuch a (hame- IX. fol Miftruft of Providence, and Abufe of f ^^\^^^} Common-Senfe, that barely to mention it, is fufficient to expofe it: And then thefe very People, when they die, by as ftrange, and undefigned a Sort of kindnefs, leave their Subftance to they know not whom, for no other reafon, than becaufe they cannot keep it any longer. But after all, tho' we may not withhold Good from them to whom it is due, yet we may withhold it from them to whom it is not due : For they who are able to help themfelves , and fuch there are, who ne- verthelefs refufe to do fo, can never be en- titled to that Good, which it is in their own Power to help themfelves to, and which mould they receive, they mufl of neceffity rob thofe, to whom the Scripture has given a Title to it. The Rod of Juf- tice is the greateft Charity that can be be- &owed on them, who by their voluntary Neceflities impofe upon Mankind, and de- prive thofe who are truly neceffitous of that Help and Afiiftance, which they would stherwife enjoy. They certainly are the only various SUBJECTS. 201 only Objects of Charity whofe NeceffifiesSsRM. are not of their own making, fuch as they Ix - could prevent, or can deliver themlelves from. The Impotence of Old Age, juft dropping into the Duft, and haftening to put off its earthly Tabernacle, calls upon us to fupply the Defects of Nature, and if poffible, to give fome Refpite and Refrefh- ment to the mort Remains of Life. They who labour under any grievous Diforder of Body, whether they be old or young, loud- ly call for Succour ; having befides their Pain a pinching Neceflity likewife to ftrug- gle with: But more efpecially they whom, thefe Misfortunes nave befallen in the Ser- vice of their Country, have a juft and equitable Claim to our Affiftance, and to {hare with us in the common Bleffings they have been fo inftrumental in procuring us. Nor are they to be forgotten, whom God has afflicted with a troubled Mind, whofe Reafon, if any there be, is kept under by exorbitant raging Paflions, and left to the extravagant Guidance of unaffifted Nature, Since I am describing to you the feveral Objects of Charity, indulge me a few Words> SERMONS^ SERM. Words, while I recommend to you onfc X. thing more, in which your Charity would be exceedingly well beftowed, I mean in the Education of Youth. Every one knows, and has feen, and fome indeed to their Sorrow, the difmal Confequences that have attended the Want of Education in our Youth. Young People are prone enough to Vice, notwithflanding any Reflraints that are put upon them, even under the Influence of Virtue and Religion ; but when they are let alone to follow their In- clinations without Controul, they rum on adventrous in the Paths of Sin, till Old Age, if fome unlucky Accident does not take them off before, hardens them into a reprobate and ftupid Infidelity, fo that, for want of remembring their Creator in the Days of their Youth, the Evil days come upon them, and the Years draw nigh, when they mail fay, I have no Plca- fure in them : But when they are timely accuflomed to virtuous Habits, and by good Inftructious trained up in the way wherein they mould go, they will not eafily depart from it, but grow, as in Years, various SUBJECTS. 203 Years, fo in Grace, till they come unto a SERM. perfect Man, unto the Meafure of the Sta- * ture of the Fulnefs of Chrift. Having proved that Charity is a Debt, and how far it is limited and reftrained, I {hall, Secondly, proceed to bring fome Argu- ments to perfwade you chearfully to dif- charge it. And Firfty We mould be always ready to help and affift our Fellow-Creatures in their Wants and Neceffities, becaufe it is what we would expert of them, if we were in their Condition, and they in ours; and therefore it would be unreafonable to deny them that, which we mould think unreafonable for them to deny us. Secondly ', We (hould take Care chearfully to difcharge this Duty of Charity, becaufe \ve do not know how foon it may be our own Cafe to want Affiftance ourfelves. No one can tell how it may pleafe God to deal with him, and what Condition he may be in before he dies, however prof- perous and fuccefsful he may be atprefentj and then if he hath flopped his Ears at the Cry of the Poor, he alfo fhall cry him- C c felf, 04 SERMONS on SERM. felf, but fhall not be heard : For what Can he expe<3 of God in his Adverfity, who refufed him any Acknowledgment in his Profperity ? Or what can he expecl: from Men, when he himfelf refufed to grant what he is now obliged to ask? But if he hath been accuflomed to Ads of Chanty and Beneficence, and hath not fhut his Ears upon the Cries of the Poor and Needy, happy is he, the Lord {hall deliver him in the time of Trouble. A charitable Man when he is under Aflidlions is fure to be pitied by all Men, and to draw Com- paffion .from that ftony Heart that fel- dom fhewed any before : For Nature is not fo far degenerated, but it mufl love and admire that Divine Temper of Mind, that delights in doing Good, and {hew the greater Companion to it when in Diftrefs. Thirdly, A third Argument I {hall make Ufe of to perfwade you to a chearful Dit eharge of this Debt is the Encouragement that attends it -, for tho' Charity is a Debt which we are obliged to difcharge, yet becaufe it is always accompanied with fuch a lovely Frame of Mind, fuch Pity, fuch fuch various SUBJECTS. 205 fuch what (hall I call it, fuch a Temper, SERM- as I hope you know and feel better than * X * I am able to exprefs, it has the Promife of many and great Bleffings. The Pfalmift, defcribing a good Man, makes it the top of his Character, that he hath difperfed abroad, he hath given to the Poor ; and then he adds the Bleffing that attends him, his Righteoufnefs endureth for ever, his Horn mall be exalted with Honour. He that giveth to the Poor, fays the Wife Man, (hall not lack j but our Saviour car- ries the Bleffing to the higheft Pitch, even to a Reward in Heaven, Go fell that thou haft, and give to the Poor, and thou {halt have Treafure in Heaven. After all this Encouragement, it is very furprizing to find that People will truft their Subftance with Man, upon the Strength of an Earth- ly Hope andAffurance, which they would not truft with God, tho' they have his Holy Word for their Security, and Hea- ven itfelf for their Jntereft and Reward- Fourthly ', The laft Argument that I {hall make Ufe of ; to perfwade you to dif- charge this great Duty of Charity, {hall C c 2 be 2.o6 S E R. M O N S 0?l SERM.be drawn from the Love of God, who ve his only begotten Son to die for our Sins, and not only fo, but whatfoever we ask of him as we ought, he giveth us. If God then fo loveth us, we ought alfo to love one another ; and as we expect the Aid and Affiftance of God, fo let us aid and affift each other; but let us not expert to have our Petitions granted of God, and yet at the fame time to deny the Petitions of our Brethren in Diftrefs. To conclude. Let it be our Duty at this time more efpecially, to difcharge this Debt of Charity with a becoming Chear- fulnefs, not grudgingly or of neceffity, for God loveth a chearful Giver. The Chil- dren, who are your Petitioners, will abun- dantly recompenfe you by their daily Prayers for their Benefactors; nay, you will abundantly recompenfe yourfelves, by procuring a Right to thofe Bleffings which God has promifed to the good and mer- ciful Man. Look down then with Pity on your Petitioners, make the Fatherlefs Children rejoyce, and the Widow's Heart Will fing for Joy, If Chrift died for them, as various SWBJ ECTS. 207 as well as for us, let us not look upon SERM. them as Strangers and Aliens, but as Fcl- Jow-Heirs of the fame Promife. They have the fame bountiful Father, and the feme merciful Redeemer with ourfelves. Are we Chriftians? So are they. Have we, who were Aliens, receiv'd the Adop- tion of -Sons ? So have they. Are we in ex- pectation of everlafting Happinefs in a fu- ture State ? So are they. What ftiould hinder then, but that they mould partake with us in the Happinefs and Comfort of this Life too ? We all breathe the fame Air, and enjoy the Light of the Sun alike, which God fendeth to mine on the Poor, as well as on the Rich. Let us not then withhold any Good which we have in our Power to do, but let our Charity be bright as the Day, and difFufive as the Light that mineth from one end of the Earth unto the other. Perhaps you may never have another Opportunity; be fure to do Good then while it is called to Day, and you have it in the Power of your Hand to do it ; that our Sons may grow up as the young Plants, and our Daughters as. the IX. cLo8 SE R M ON s on SERM, the polimed Corners of the Temple. Re- member that God, who is prefent every where, knows what you are able to do, and will not forget your Works and Labour that proceedeth of Love. Therefore turn not away your Face from the Poor, and then the Face of the Lord (hall not be, turned away from you. S E R- SERMON X. ECCLES. vii. 10. Say not thou, What is the Caufe that the former Days were bet- ter than thefe ? For thou doft not enquire wifely concerning this. IHERE is nothing in which Mankind is fo univerfally a- X greed as in this, that every one defires to be happy j 'and did they purfue their Defines the right way, they would certainly be fo : But there is nothing in which they are more miftaken than in the nature of true Hap- pinefs, and the right way to obtain it. And SERMONS 0# SERM. And no wonder we are deceived, fince vve fafFer ourfelves to be governed more by our Senles than our Reafon, and make Happinefs, which is founded only in Virtue, fubfift entirely in Opinion. Hence it is, that every thing in its Turn, how vain and trifling foever, puts in its Claim to be the chief Good of Man, tho' it continues only for the prefent Moment, and leaves us to leek it fomewhere elfe. Thus do we make Happinefs precarious and uncertain, by placing it in Things, which in their Natures are fb. And if we are miftaken in the End, no wonder we are miftaken in the Means of obtain- ing it. While we place Happinefs in the Gratification of our Paffions, we (hall certainly look out for fuch Means, as we imagine moft proper for our Defigns. In the firft fix Chapters of this Book we find the Wife Man had been feeking after Happinefs, and made an Experi- ment of every worldly Enjoyment, in or- der to find it, but all in vain, for he was as far from it then as he was before. But in the following Chapters he rectifies the Mif- various SUBJECTS. an Miftake, (hews what the Nature of true SERM. Happinefs is, that it has no Foundation but in Virtue and Religion ; and lays down many good InftrucYions in order to obviate fome falfe Opinions which hin- der'd People from finding it out. One of which he endeavours to obviate in the Words of the Text, by (hewing the Folly of thofe, who are of a murmur- ing complaining Temper, and are always uneafy at the prefent Times, as if the former were better 5 which he mews is occafioned by a Want of a wife Confi- deration and Enquiry into this Matter : Say not tbou, What is the Caufe that the former Days were better than thefe ? For thou doft not enquire wifely concerning this. In difcourfing upon the Words of the Text I (hall, Fir/i, Enquire into the Ground of this Complaint, and {hew, that to fay the former Days were better than thefe ', which is implied in the afking the Caufe of it, is generally falfe, and pro- ceeds from a want of confidering wifely concerning this Matter. D d Secondly c, i a S E R M o N s on SERM. Secondly, I fhall (hew the Sin and Folly X. of murmuring againft the prefent Dif- penfations of God's Providence, even upon Suppofition that it was true. Thirdly, I mail lay down fome Rules in order to acquire a happier Frame and Temper of Mind. Firft then I am to enquire into the Ground of this Complaint, and (hew, that to fay the former Days were better than fbefe, which is implied in the afking the Caufe of it, is generally falfe ; and proceeds from a want of considering wifely concerning this Matter. However wife and bountiful the Dif- penfations of Providence are, there will never be wanting fome to murmur and complain, as they have hitherto done in all the Ages of the World. As they fay of Alphonfus, that he found fault with the Creation, and arraigned the Wifdom - of God in the Natural World, fo there are too many others, who take the fame Freedom, and accufe the Divine Provi- dence in the Moral World, and both for the 'various SUBJECTS. 213 the fame Reafon, viz. for want of en- SERM- quiring wifely concerning this. Complaints upon the Times are n more unjuft than they are common; but to build them upon a Suppolition that the former Times were all good, and the prefent nothing but Evil, is to fuppofe what is not true; 'tis to take that for granted, which is the Matter in dif- pute, and to argue from a Suppolition, which is falfe in Facl, and wants to be proved. If the former Days were fo very good in Comparifon of thefe, it muft ap- pear by fome Account of Perfons, who lived in thofe Days. But how does that appear ? Where have we any fuch Ac- count ? On the contrary, there were the fame Complaints in former Times as there are now ; and tho' this may not be allow'd by a wife Man, as an Argument of the Badnefs of thofe Times, yet it is at leafl an Argument, that the Complainers in thofe Days thought them fo ; and therefore muft be allow'd to hold good againft the Murmurers of thefe Days, even upon their own Principles. For if D d 2 they 214 SE R M O N 8 OH SERM. they are willing to hear their own plaints pafs for certain Tokens of the Bad- nefs of the Times, they muft by the fame Rule, and upon the fame Principles, think the fame of former -Ages, and allow the Complaints of the People in thofe Times to have the fame Weight. Now it is well known, that the Poets many hundred Years ago feigned the World to be divided into three different Ages, the Golden, the Silver, and the Iron Age ; the two former of thefe they ima- gined to be in a different Degree, very happy and prosperous, but the laft they looked upon as very unhappy and mifera- ble ; yet they always took Care to place their own Times under the laft, as if all before were Golden Days, and their's were the only unhappy and troublefome Ones j and the fame Humour has pre- vailed ever fmce, and will continue to do. fo as long as we neglect to confider wifely concerning this. We find' likewife from the Text, that there were the fame Com- plaints as far back as Solomon's Days, and po doubt pf it in all Ages of the World. *i Now various SUBJECTS. 215 Now either thefe Complaints were true SERM. or they were falfe. 'Tis all one, as to the Matter in Hand, which of thefe it be; for if they were true, the Point is gained ; and if they were never fo falfe and groundlefs, yet ftill they will ferve the Purpofe they are brought for; they are ftifficient to fhew, that whatever good Opinion the Complainers of latter Ages may have of the former Times, they that Jived in thofe Times thought otherwife, and made that the Subject of Complaint which others have fince made the Subject of their Approbation. But the Truth of the Matter is this : The Times are generally the fame, and I believe it will readily enough be granted, that they are always worfe than a good Man could wifh them to be; but then to afk why the former were better, gene- rally proceeds upon a Suppofition, that former Times were better purely becaufe they are paft, and therefore will ferve no Manner of Purpofe, but to prove the Folly of the Enquirer. It has been the Complaint of our Forefathers, fays Seneca, (De i6 SE R M ON s on SERM. (De Ben. Fol. p. 268.) that Virtue and ^* Good Manners are rooted up and deftroy'd ; that all Manner of Wickednefs prevails, and triumphs in the Room of them ; and that the Times are vvorfe than ever, we complain of the fame Thing, fays he, and our Pofterity will do the fame ; whereas thefe Things are much the fame now as they were then, and fo they will be for the future : They only move a little to and fro, fometimes inclining to one Kind of Vice, fometimes to another j for Vices don't prevail always alike, and continue in one Stay, but are moveable, and as they differ widely, they become tumultuous, and drive and fly from one another : How- ever, this we ought always to fay of our- felves, that we are evil, that we have been fb, and I am unwilling to add, fays he, we mall continue to be fo. We find in the early Ages of the World, that the Wickednefs of Man was great in the Earth ; and that every Ima- gination of the Thoughts of his Heart was only evil continually. David in many Places gives an Account of the Wickednefs of various SUBJECTS. 2,17 of the People in his Days; and St. Paul, SERM. talking of the People in his Days, tells the Galatians, that as heretofore, he tb was born after the FleJJj perfecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even fo it is now. So that it is true enough, that the Times are wicked and bad, but then it is what they have ever been, and as long as bad Men live in them, it is what they always will be. There will be the fame Rapine, Fraud, Injuflice, and Oppreffion, as long as there are the fame Paffions to create them ; for the fame Caufes will produce the fame Ef- fects ; and as long as we fet up a falfe Happinefs to ourielves, fo long (hall we cherim the fame Paffions, and keep alive the fame Evils ; and thus it has always been. Is there any thing whereof it may be faid, See, this is new ! it has been already of old Time which was before us. The Thing that hath been, it is that which (hall be, and that which is done is that which mall be done, and there is no new Thing under the Sun. But ii8 SERMONS on SERM. Bat notwithftanding all this, every Age ftill fends us to the former for bet- ter Times, and that again to the fore- going ; fo that if the former Times were better, it is becaufe they are paft, and confequently that the prefent Times are worfe for no other Reafon than becaufe they are prefent. And here lies the Mi- ftake : The former Times we only hear of, or if we do happen to remember them, yet the Days of our Youth have little or nothing to do with the Troubles of any Age ; that Part of Life is gene- rally taken up with the Pleafures of the World, and therefore can't furnim a Man with Experience enough to draw the Comparifon between Times of fuch a Diftance. Whereas, when Age comes upon us, and our Views are enlarged, we have then a greater Knowledge of the World, and a more fenfible Percep- tion of the Nature of Human Life ; for we come at that Time to (hare the Trou- bles likewife, as well as Pleafures of it. Things at a Diftance always appear kfs than they really are, and we only fee the various SUBJECTS. 119 the beft fide of them ; but when they are SERM, brought home to our Eyes, we fee them X ' with all their Defects and Inconveniencies. So that to infinuate that the former Days were better than thefe, moft commonly proceeds from a want of enquiring wifely concerning this : For by the fame Rule that we fo much admire the former Times, will the prefent, when they are old enough^ be the Envy and Admiration of the Age to come. Indeed we need go no farther back than the laft Century, and view the Troubles which this Day's Anniverfary always puts us in Remembrance of, to prove what I have been faying under this Head ; and to fhew the Miftake of thofe, who copy af- ter the Murmurers in the Text. And as all the Outrages of thefe diftracted Times were owing to this reftlefs, complaining, turbulent Spirit ; fo this Day may be a Warning to the Murmurers of our Times, how they indulge themfelves in ftich a troublefome mifchievous Temper; finceno one knows to what extravagant Lengths it may carry a Man, and what Evils it may E e occa- 220 SERMONS on SERM. occafion. Tho' the firft fetting out of thefe Troubles was a Struggle for Liberty, which in a free Country is acknowledge! to be lawful, and what a free People have a Right to ; and whatever occafion there was given for it by the Rafhnefs and Inad- vertency of fome People about the King, whofe Bufinefs it was to know the Confti- tution of the Kingdom better ; yet it is well known, that it ran foon into another Channel ; for thefe Grievances were fet- tled in a Parliamentary Manner before the War began ; yet by means of a murmur- ing Spirit, that then appeared among fome Malecontents, new Grievances were trump'd up, and what at firft was only a Stand for Liberty, became afterwards a Struggle for Licentioufnefs : A Defire of redrefling Grievances was fucceeded with a Defire of making them j and what was once thought a Crime in the King's Party, was thought very juft and reafonable in theirs. This carried them thro' fo many different Scenes of Strife, that they hardly knew at laft what they fell out for : They feem'd to have forgot the firft Quarrel, and various SUBJECTS 221 and turned the Remainder of their Refent- SERM. ment againft one another. They were feveral times fo non-plufs'd that, like Tra- vellers who have loft their way, they did not know which Road to take. The wifer Part began to look upon one ano- ther as afliam'd of having gone fuch ex- travagant Lengths beyond their firft Inten- tion, and were willing to bring Matters to a Pacification ; and whatever Grievances they thought the King had been guilty of making before, yet they began now to look upon him as the greateft Sufferer, and fliew'd a ftrong Inclination to reftore him. And indeed the greateft Part had fo poor an Opinion of a Change, fearing it might have been for the worfe, that they would have return'd to their Allegiance again could they have known how to do it with Safety ; while others, thinking they had finn'd beyond a Poffibility of Forgivenefs, became defperate in their Deiigns, and re- folv'd, at all Adventures, to pu(h Matters to the utmoft Extremity. No doubt one great Addition to thefe_ Troubles was this ; A great Multitude of E e 2 vile czz SERMONS on SRM. vile mercenary Wretches promoted the Ani- mofities as much as they could, and kept up the Flame for their own Advantage ; no matter where it burn'd and devour'd ib long as they were fure to warm themfelves by it. Such Fellows as thefe are common Jn Cafes of this Nature, who make a Trade of building their own Fortunes upon the Ruins of their Neighbours. This, together with a multitude of concurring Circum- ftances, heighten'd with the Addition of a Multitude of Vices, hurried them on from one Pitch of Enthufiafm to another, till they inverted the very Nature of Things, call'd Evil Good, and Good Evil, made God the Author of all Wickednefs, the Scrip- ture a Cover for all manner of Knavery, and Grace a Plea for Sin ; and fo it length, after a long and tedious Rebellion, and the Calamity of a Civil War, to 'fill up the Meafure of their Iniquity, they clofed the horrid Scene in the Murder o the King, and the Deftrudion of the Church and State. But Secondly^ I come now to (hew the in and Folly of murmuring againft the prefent various SUBJECTS. 22,3 prefent Difpenfaticn of God's Providence, SERM. even upon Suppofition that it was true, that the former Days were better than thefe. And this I (hall (hew from thefe two particulars, Firft, As it is contrary to Reafon. Secondly^ As it is contrary to Religion. And Fir ft i As it is contrary to Reafon. Every one pretends to know what is Rea- fon, and what is not, and would take it very much amifs to be thought not to know its but when we come to put this Knowledge in Practice, for want of confideration we acl: as if we knew nothing of the Matter. We are ready enough to pronounce a thing reafonable or unreafonable, when we con- fider it only as a Proportion, or a Rule, not including ourfelves in it ; and there- fore when a Friend feems under any Un- eafmefs or Difcontent, we fall to confider- ing the thing, and tell him the Unreafon- ablenefs of fo doing ; but when it comes to be our own Cafe, then we cannot fee the Strength of our own Arguments j what we would have to be thought conclufive in one Cafe, we will not allow in a Cafe of 224 SERMONS on SERM. of the fame Nature: But whether they iM confidcr it or no, this Temper is very contrary to Reafon. For if there was no fuch thing as Reveal'd Religion in the World, yet the Religion of Nature teaches us thus much, that however it goes with the World without us, we ought to keep the Mind calm and ferene, becaufe from thence proceeds the Happinefs or Mifery of this Life : For it will fignify but little to us how the Times are without, if we have no Peace of Mind within. But theUnreafonablenefs of this Temper will further appear, if we confider, that whatever happens in this Life is either what we can help, or what we cannot ; both which it is equally unreafonable to complain of: For if we can help it, it is ve. ry unreafonable to complain, as if we could not j and if we cannot, it is very unreafon- able to complain, as if we could. The Truth of it is, moft of this is what we can help j and if fo, why don't we do it ? Why do we complain, when the Remedy is at hand, and in our own Power? We are apt to carry our Views too far j and to various SUBJECTS. 2,25 to look abroad for the Wickednefs and SERM- Mifchiefs that are in the World, when we may find them nearer home, even in our own felves ; and a little confideration would fhew us, that we ourfelves are the very Men we complain of. Complaints of this Nature imply what is not true, that all are wicked but ourfelves j for tho' the Age be as wicked as one can imagine it to be, yet we mould coniider, that we ourfelves help to make it fo ; and therefore it is a great Folly and Abfurdity to complain of that, which we ourfelves occafion : This is to complain of a Confpiracy, when we ourfelves are the Confpirators. 'Tis true it is hard to make a covetous Man believe when he is talking againft Covctoufnefi that he is talking againft himfelf j but then it is neverthelefs true, whether he believes it or no. 'Tis a Truth much to be lamented, that we are too blind to ourfelves, and tooclear- fighted to others : We look thro* a falfe Glafs, that (hews us the be ft fide of our own Qualities, and the worft fide of other People's ; whereas we ought to view ourfelves 226 SERMONS on SERM. ourfelves and others in the fame Light? '1~ and confider, before we complain of the Wickednefs of other People, whether we have none of our own to be included j and if we have, then the Unreafonablenefs of murmuring at or upon the account of others plainly appears : For tho' we can- not help their Wickednefs, yet certainly we can help our own ; and it will be Time enough to murmur and complain, when we are found to be without Fault ourfelves. The Evils of Life, or what many Men call Evils, are for the moft part imaginary j and have no other Foundation than in Fancy and Opinion : And yet Cuftom has made them look as frightful as if they were real. Hence every one is diflatisfied with his own Condition, becaufe it is his own ; and is for ading a Part that does not belong to him. One is much griev'd that he has not a plentiful Eftate, another that he is not a Privy-Counfellor; the Me- chanick would needs be a Gentleman, and the Gentleman a King. In fhort, every one would be what he is not, with- out confidering, that our Bufinefs is not to various S u B j E c T s. . 227 to chufe what Part we will aft in the SERM. World, but to perform that which is al- x - loted us as well as we can. But when People give themfelves up to Whim and Fancy, without being at the Pains to con- fider the Reafon of Things, it is no wonder if they are always uneafy, and they may thank themfelves for it; for if they would but think, and fee Things as they arCj thefe Evils would immediately vanim. Whether the Stoical Opinion be right, that all Evils are imaginary, will juftly admit of a Difpute ; but that the ima- ginary are more than the real ones, I think is Very certain. For tho' there be many things in Life, that have a Tendency to obftruct our Happineis, do what we will, yet we have no need to go out of our way for them ; we have no occafion to add Evils of our own making^ which we may avoid, to real ones, which can- not be avoided. We cannot chufe whether we will avoid real Evils, but we can chufe whether we will make them more Evils than they are : And this is the Cafe with the greateft Part of Man. F f kind. 228 SERMONS on SERM. kind. Why is that Man unhappy, whom you fee bleft with a plentiful Eftate ? For want of more ? No ; for when he has it, he is ft ill the fame unhappy Man, as be- fore ; and it is obfervable they generally complain moft, who have the leaft Reafon for it: It is not then for want of a greater Fortune, but a better Mind, which muft be corrected, or elfe the Evils will be as many and great, as a corrupt Imagina- tion is able to make them. But Secondly, If thefe things, which happen to us in this Life, be what we cannot help, to murmur and complain will be found, after a little Confideration, to be as foolifti and unreafonable, as it is in the former Cafe, about things we can help. Indeed it may be objected by fome, that this is the very Reafon for complain- ing ; what we can help they eafily allow there is no reafon to complain of, becaufe the Remedy is at hand, and in our Power ; but when a thing grows remedileft, and not to be avoided, that is the very Reafon why we are uneafy : We are not uneafy> fay they, becaufe it can, but becaufe it can- not various SUBJECTS 229 not be help'd. How plaufible foever this SERM, may appear, yet is it entirely falfe, even x - upon a Footing of Nature. For, Firjt, it is the way to make a bad Matter worfe, and to run into the fame Snare we would feem toavoid. Things will go on in the fame Courfe, whether we are in Humour, or out of Humour ; and therefore fince Com- plaints won't alter the Nature of Things, it is unreafonable to make them : For this is making two Troubles where there was but one; and the thing will remain the fame, altogether as remedilefs, as it was before. Betides, this murmuring Tem- per will be juft what it is, whether we can help thefe things or no : If it be a Vice, nothing in the World can juftify it, or make it otherwile than it is. But it is unreafonable, Secondly, becaufe it implies that we . have Injuftice done us : Now, befides the Vanity of thinking fo well of ourfelves, and fo ill of the reft of the World, this is fetting up ourfelves, who are Parties, and that the worft Part of 'ourfelves too, as Judges in this Cafe -, which is very abfurd and ridiculous. F fz But SERMONS on SERM. But perhaps it will be faid, that tho* . Complaints of this Nature may be allow' cl to be unreafonable, yet that the bare Rea- fbnablenefs alone of the thing is not fuffi- cient to fupport us under all Troubles ; our Paffions will ftill have the upper Hand, even when we know it to be inconfiftent with Reafon. In anfwer to this, there is a great deal to be fa id for this Plea, upon account of the Weaknefs of Human Na^- ture : And therefore in Cafes of this kind, where Nature fails, we muft have Recourie to Religion, as a better help : But then I deny this to be the Cafe ; this is not what we are upon. The Point here is not whether it be a Folly to be uneafy about what immediately affedb us, but whe- ther it be not a Folly to be uneafy about what does not affect us at all. I am not talking of real Troubles, but of fuch as have no Ground nor Foundation. For what is it to us, what the World does, who are to be happy or miferable only for ourfelves ? Upon the whole tlien I hope it will be acknpwledg'd, that to murmur pgainft the prefent Difpenfatiops of God's Providence various SUBJECTS. 2,3 1 providence is to {hew, that we don't con- SEMR. fider wifely concerning this, even upon the Foot of Nature. For we have made but a poor Figure in the World, if the Sum of all our Enquiries amounts to no more than this, that we live in a wicked World. This is a wonderful Difcovery indeed ! Why every Age before could tell us the fame thing, and it may be true enough without being worfe than heretofore. The Truth of it is, we may have as little Reafon perhaps to compliment the former Times, as we have to complain of the prefent : Now the way to make a wife Obfervation of this, is not to fall a murmuring and complaining, but to confider what Me- thod to take in order to fecure the Happinefs of our Mind. But fee the ridiculous Confe- quence that People extort from this mur- muring Propofition, The Times are bad, fay they, therefore, what? Why, they will be bad too. I am fure this is a foo- lifli Confequence, how juft foeverthe Pre- mifes may be. No ; a Wife Man would put the Argument "thus, The Times are bad, and always were fo ; and therefore I'll 2*2, SERMONS on SERM. I'll do what I can to make them better 3 X. at leaft I'll do nothing to make them vvorfe j but will take care, that they {hall not make me part with my Reafon or my Virtue. I come now in the next place to (hew the Sin and Folly of this Temper, as it is con- trary to Religion. Religion, whatever fome People think of it, is not only a national, but a good- natur'd Inflitution : It tends to fmooth the Paffions, and to make a Man act up to the Perfection of his Nature. Chrifti- anity allows not its ProfefTors to disfigure their Faces, much lefs their Minds : We are taught in the Scripture to poffefs our Souls in Patience, and not to murmur as other? have murmur'd, and were deftroy'd of the Deftroyer. If we are weary of the World for fo flight a Caufe, we are to confider him, who endur'd fuch Contradiction of Sinners againft himfelf, and then we (hall fee how little Reafon we have to be weary, and faint in our Minds. 'Tis true, Nature can only furnifh us with Arguments for the Reafonablenefs of the Thing, and the Advantage of a contented Mind in this Life j various SUBJECTS. z$* Life ; but then Chriftianity helps us in the S E R M. Performance, by carrying the Argument ^- into another World ; and therefore if we murmur ftill, we contradict the Principles of our Religion ; becaufe we do it, as thofe who have no Hope : 'Tis indeed a kind of Atheifm j for where is the Diffe- rence between doubting of the Being of a God, and queftioning his Divine Pro- vidence? And who, after all, would think thatthefe Murmurers mould feek Shelter even in Religion j and yet they are many of them weak enough to do it ; as if Religion oblig'd People to be ill-na- tur'd, and would never fuffer them to be in a good Humour j and confequently that they were never more religious than when moft out of Temper. What Reli- gion this-is, is not worth my while to en- quire , becaufe it is not worth your while to know : You may be fure it is not the Chriftian Religion, whatever it is. What an odd Figure now do you think Religion would make, if it really was as fome People have dreft it up ; for as luch, it is calculated for nothing in the World but 254 SERMONS ort SSRM. but to do Mifchief, to rob a Man of his "\T ^r; natural good Temper, and to give him nothing in the room of it, but an unna- tural hateful one 5 and fo to make him more a Child of Wrath than he was by Nature. This cannot proceed from Chriftianity, but from fomething elfe; for the Chriftian Religion countenances no Murmurers and Complainers, nor en- courages any thing that is four or ill- natur'd ; the Fruits of it are nothing but Peace, Joy, Contentment, and all true Virtues. He Who thinks to meet With no Diffi- culties in the World upon account of the different Tempers of Mankind, is a Stran- ger to Reafon ; and if Chriftianity has not learnt him that Contentment of Mind, which the Heathens pradtifed without it, he is a Stranger to Religion. The Chriftian Religion does not promife us any fuch thing, that we fhall meet with no Troubles or Difficulties, but teaches us how to overcome them. Nay, it goes upon this very Suppofition, that the World is wicked, that this Life is a State of various SUBJECTS. 235 of Warfare; and accordingly has fur- SERM. nifli'd us with many excellent Weapons, in order to encounter it with Chearfulnefs and Conftancy, as faithful Soldiers of Chrift ; and not only fo, but gives us En- couragement to expect Affiftance, where the Work is too great for us to perform of ourfelves. If the World was to be governed according to every one's Humour, per- haps we mould all be pleas'd ; or it would be a wonder if we fhould not. But where's the Virtue of fuch a Con- tentment as this? No; this, as well as all other Virtues, is an active Princi- ple, it muft be a Work of the Mind, and muft have feme Difficulties to ftruggle with : For if a Man would be contented upon no other Terms, he would have made but a contempti- ble Figure among the Philofophers, and I fuppofe he would not be thought to make a better Chriftian for being a bad Heathen. Having thus (hewn the Fal- fity of the Insinuation, that the former Days were better than thefe, and alfo the G g Sin S E R M O N S OH SERM. Sin and Folly of murmuring and com- x - plaining, even upon Suppofition that it true, I come now in the I'btrd and la/i Place, To lay down fome Rules, by which we may acquire a hap- pier Farme and Temper of Mind. Since the Happinefs of a Man depends upon the Mind, and not upon the Things without him, it the more concerns us to keep our Minds in a true, fedate, and eafy Pofture: And in order to it, let us, firji, Endeavour to regulate our Paili- ons ; for we are reduc'd to the neceffity of governing them, or of fuffering them to govern us. Indeed this is a more difficult Talk to fome People than to others, according to the Nature of the Conilitution, and therefore the greater Pains are re-quir'd j and when we have done this, but not till then, we mall be able to confider things to be whatthey are, and not what they are not; and look up- on the World to be, not what it ought to be, but what he finds it to be. We found it to be as it is, when we came into it, and we (hall hardly leave it better or various SUBJECTS. 237 or worfe, when we go out of it. If we$RM. would have every thing fitted to our Hu- Am mour, that would be again altogether as difpleafing to another, and fo the fame difcontented Spirit would ftill be kept up. If we would (hew that we,confider things wifely, we mould fit ourfelves to our Con- dition. Whoever experts Happinefs in this World is miftaken ; he does not conlider the thing wifely ; it is not poilible in the Nature of things that it mould be fo: But then we may be much happier than we are, if we will put things upon a right Footing. No Man has a greater Ene- my to fear than himfelf, nor is any thing truly and properly good but Virtuej or truly and properly evil but Vice. Secondly, Another Rule in order to acquire a happier Temper of Mind is this, before we complain of other Peo- ple, to mend thofe Faults in ourfelves j for it is unjuft to complain of others, while we are guilty of the fame Things; we mould at leaft take Care to give others no Reafon to complain of us j for G g 2 if SjS SERMONS on SERM. ir" we do, we mall expofe ourfelves x - to the Contempt of all Wife Men, who ^ will fay, It is Tims enough for us to complain of others, when we are with- out Fault ourfelves j and that we (hould not pretend to pull the Mote out of our Brother's Eye, till we have taken the Beam out of our own Eye. 'Tis an eafy thing to fay that no Times were ever fo bad as the prefent, but- then it is not fo eafy to prove it : Facl and Ex- perience are againft it : But allowing it to be true, would not it prove too much ? Would not it prove that we are bad too ? But the Infatuation lies here. Every one makes this Complaint more or Icfs : I would fain know then, who thefe Peo- ple are that we all complain of? Are they not our own felves? If the Times are bad, why do we not rather help to make them better? But it is a popular Subject : The Wickednefs of the .Age is a Topic that will be lure to pleafe, becaufe People are glad to have others thought worfe than themfeJves. Seme of it out of Heedlefsnefs of Temper, to various SUBJECTS 239 to (hew how little they think, and howSERM. little they have to fay, as People are wont ^. to talk of the Weather for want of a more proper Subject : I would advife thefe People to ftick to this laft Old Topic till they can find a better. Others exclaim againft the Times out of a malicious Habit that they have got ; not that they think what they fay to be true, or that they are really forry that the Times are bad, but that they are no -worfe. Thus are their whole Lives not only fo many Years of Vanity, but of Dif- content and Ill-humour. Indeed they can hardly be faid to live at all : But the the troublefome Hours pafs dreadfully over their Heads while prefent ; and as they roll off in the Tide of Time, they ilide out of their Remembrance, and are fucceeded with frcfli ones ftill as trouble- fome as the others. thirdly, Another Rule, whereby we may acquire a happy Frame and Tem- per of Mind, is to leave the Management of the World, where it ought to be left, jn the Hands of God. Suppofe the for- mer 240 SERMONS on SERM.mer Times were never fo good, and the prefent never fo bad, it is none of our Bufinefs to enquire into the Caufes of thefe things. 'Tis not our Bufinefs to infpect Providence, but to fubmit to it. Shall Man, who is but of yefterday, who came a perfect Stranger into the World, he hardly knows how or when, no fooner come into the World, but immediately fet up for a Judge, and claim the Dominion of it ? Whatever the World does, or however it goes with it, we may be fure God knows it, and permits it to go on ; and con- tinues to fend his Rain on the Juft and on the Unjuft : And would we have him flop the Courfe of his Provi- dence, and work Miracles for nothing in the World but to keep us in Humour. To conclude : Let us all endeavour to leave off this murmuring complain- ing Temper, which tends to nothing but to make bad Chriftians and bad Subjects. 'Tis an Argument of a weak Mind, a Mind not accuftom'd to think- ing, and i a Difgrace to Human Na- ture various SUBJECTS. 241 tare, as well as to Religion. 'Tis high SERM, Time now to exert the Dominion of X. Reafon over Fancy and Opinion. How- ^^ ever it goes with the World without us, let us remember that we are Men and Chriftians. Let us not be fuch Cheats to ourfelves as to make imaginary Evils real ones, but confider that we have a Mind to look after, which will determine our Happinefs or Mifery, ac- cording as we accuftom it to a right or a wrong way of thinking. In a word, As long as we live in this World, let us endeavour to make ourfelves and others as happy as we can. We have many Vices and Infirmities, as well as other People* and therefore we ought to bear with one another, and not conclude a Peace with our own Follies, and at the fame time proclaim War againft thofe of other People. In mort, let us furnim our Minds with true Religion, which will give us fuch a chearful and eafy Deport- ment in every Condition of Life, as will make us truly happy j for her Ways are Ways of P leaf ant nefs, and all her Paths are Peace. S E R- SERMON XI. GEN. iv. 10. And He fa'td, Jfhat haft thou done? The Voice of thy Bro- ther's Blood crieth unto from the Ground. me N this Chapter we have a fhort Account of Cam and Abel, and the firft propaga- ting the World after Adam and Eve were .driven out of Paradice: It is very conciie indeed, tho' it is as long as the Nature of the Thing would admit of: For it cannot reafonably be ex- pe&ed, that the Scripture fhould give, a particular Account of every thing ; that would have been neither neceflary nor ufeful: Not neceflary, becaufe the In- tent and Deiign of it was not to teach Men various SUBJECTS. 24- Men Syftems of Hiftory and Chroho- SERM. logy, but juft fo much, as may help XL to promote and recommend a Life : Not ufcful, becaufe it would have fwoln the Sacred Volume to too great a Bulk for the Generality of Man- kind to receive much Benefit from ; efpecially, fince for fome of whom, it is to be fear'd, it would be flill too large^ were it lefs than it is. Hence appears the Folly of thofe, who require a particular Account of every minute Circumftance of things in Scripture ; as where Cam could take a Wife, when as yet the Scripture had made Mention of no other Woman in the World but Eve : Since an Account of theie things is neither neceflary nor ufeful, efpecially, if we confider, that a little common Senfe will naturally lead a Man to fill up the Charm ; for as to this particular Cafe, the World being, according to Chronologers, a hundred and twenty eight, or a hundred and thirty Years Old, when Cain flew Abel y it mull: be fuppos'd, that there were People enough in it by that Time for fuch a Purpofe. The Truth of it is, fuch Queftions as thefe are as ufelefs as they are foolim and infignificant, and argue a little Mind, and a trifling Un- ckrl&nding. H h But 244 S E R M N S 'on SERM. But this only by the Way. Now XI. as to the Perfons here concern'd in Text, all that we need know is, that one ivas a Keeper of Sheep, and the other a Tiller of the Ground-, and that they offer'd each an Offering to the Lord; Abel of the Firftlings of his Flock, and Cain of the Fruit of the Ground j but we find both were not equally accepted, for the Lord had Re- Ipect unto Abel, and his Offering; but unto Cain and his Offering, for want of a right Qualification, he had not Refpect ; upon which Account Cain was very wrath, and his Countenance fell, i.e. he did not only look dejected, and full of Sorrow, but full of Revenge too ; though there was no manner of Reafon or Ground for this Wrath or Sullennefs ; for it was not his God, nor his Brother, that was the Caufe of his Offering's not being accepted, but himfelf ; for, fays the Lord to him, if tbou do/i ivell, foalt thou not be ac- cepted? And if thou dofl not well, Sin lleth at the Door. And this is the Way of moft wicked Men, who, like Cain, when they feel a necefiary Remorfe at- tending their evil Actions, difcharge their Wrath upon any one rather than themfelves, who are the Delinquents, and the Perfons to whom the Wrath belongs - y various SUBJECTS. 245 belongs; and not only but have A flu- SERM. ranee enough to expect, notwithftand- XI. ing their wicked Lives and Actions, which cut off all Ground of Expedta- tion of any thing that is good, the fame Favour of God, as thofe who are never fo righteous. Thus Balaam,, who had liv'd the Life of the Wicked, had Confidence enough, not with ftand- ing that, to fay, Let me die the Death of the Righteous, and let my lafl End be like his. However, Cain was fo incenfed at this, that his Offering was not accepted as well as his Brother's, that he took an Opportunity to flay him, thinking perhaps to eafe his troubled Mind, by venting his Wrath upon a Perfon, whom his Envy had mark'd out, as a proper Object of it : But, alas ! the dreadful Experiment would by no means anfwer the End propos'd : It was fo far from remov- ing one Evil, that it created a tbou- fand more, which now began to fprout from it, and fpread abroad thier fatal Influences. The Blood which he thought was fpilt upon the Ground, and which the Earth had opened her Mouth to receive, and would foon difappear for ever, now began to live, and call to Heaven for Vengeance. And he faid, What haft thoit done? H h 2 fbt SERMONS en SERM. The Foice of thy Brother s Blood crieth XL unto me from the Ground. Here we e to obferve, that God does not afk this Queftion with an Expectation of being inform'd, as if he was igno- rant of what Cain had done, but only to make him fenfibJe of the Hei- neoufnefs of his Guilt. In difcourfing upon the Words of the Text I will (hew, Firft, That all Sin, efpeciallv Sins of a heinous Nature, fuch as Murder, calls to Heaven for Vengeance. Secondly, I (hall make ibme proper Obfervations upon it. Firft then, I am to (hew, that all Sin, efpeciully Sins of a heinous Na- ture, fuch as Murder, calls to Heaven for Vengeance. As God is the great Governor of the World, and a Being infinitely juft, wife, and good, it is neceffary to fuppofe, that he intends the Welfare and Happinefs of the whole Creation ; and that he will put a fufficient Check upon whatever would deftroy it. Accordingly he has im- prefs'd upon all Beings in the Univerfe certain Propofitions of Action, as they (land to each other; and whatever Be- ing ads out of this Proportion feels of Courfe an Inconvenience attending it ; yy-hieh Incoqvenience is likewife im- prefs'd various SUBJECTS 247 prefs'd upon all Nature, and a Senfe of it SRM. upon every Being in exaft Proportion, XI. as it ftands in the Univerfe. For with- I out this it were impoffible the , World to fubfift : Evil, as it is in its own Na- ture oppoiite to Good, would, if it were not controul'd, certainly deftroy it j God has therefore fufficiently controul'd it. In Beings that act neceflarily, it is controul'd by certain neceflary Laws, by which they are directed and go- vern'd for the Good of the whole. Thus the Sea ebbs and flows, and the Ground fends forth Herbs and Trees for the Delight and Ufe of Manj and all this according to certain Rules imprefs'd upon Nature: The heavenly Bodies too move on in their appointed Courie, whereas were thefe fubjecl: to no Laws, the Diforder, /. e. the Evil that would enfue, would foon fpread its deftruclive Influences over the Face of all Nature ; but God has fixed the Bounds of all Things, and therefore they, as the Pfalmift fays, fulfil his Word. To the Sea he has faid, Hi- therto ft alt thou go, and no further ; and here Jhall thy proud Waves be flayed ; and to all things elj'e be has fix d their Bounds, which they cannot pa/s. In Moral Agents it is controul'd by hs Vengeance that is due to it, and that -248 SERMONS on SERfa that infallibly attends it: For to fup- XI. pole Evil without this is to fuppofe v - r Y" > * / God not infinitely wife and good. Now if there are the lame Propor- tions between every two Men in the World, as there is between a Man and himfelf, as there certainly are, for what are all the Men upon Earth, but the General Man, or Human Na- ture, fplit abroad into Individuals, fe- condly, no one can offer any Injury to another without doing an Injury to himfelf; for Punifhment, which is the natural Reaction to Evil, will of courfe operate back upon him. Thus Ven- geance which is every injur'd Perfon's Right in a State of Nature, when Men are form'd into Societies, is lodg'd in other Hands, who deal it out as well as they can, in proportion to the Injuries or Evils committed. But becaufe all hu- man Knowledge is vaftly imperfect, and therefore cannot allot to every Crime the ipecific Vengeance that is due to it ; and becaufe every Injury or Evil a Man does to another, not only operates back upon himfelf, but flies directly up to God, as hurting or wounding him in bis Image, he has taken Care to fupply the Defects of human Injuftice by allot- ting to every Crime its due proportion'd Punifhment ; various SUBJECTS. 249 Punifhment ; and he, who knows the SERM true Springs and Movements of every xi Action, who knows every minute Degree IXWJ of Good or Evil that is in them, knows how to deal out his Rewards and Pu- nilhments in exact Proportion : And becaufe every Evil, as it endeavours to poifon Good, is an Attempt to pollute the very Fountain of Good, hence it is, that God looks upon every Evil a Man does himfelf, or another, or the Society, as done to him, and will certainly punim it accordingly : And of this every Sinner is fehfible, and is fufficiently inform'd by the Remorfe that attends his evil Action, which is the Beginning of the Ven- geance that will follow them ; and which is a gracious wile Provilion God has made to controul Evil, and at the fame Time to make Reparation to Juftice; for the Remorfe that attends an evil Action is a Piinimment of ir, and from the Senfe every one has, that there is a Punifhment due to Sin, and will certain- ly one Time or other overtake him, if not in this Life, where he can have only his Proportion of Chance, yet in the next, where all Chance will be turn'd into Certainty, there arifes a well-ground- ed Fear, which is a continual Check to the Evil, and keeps the moral World up- on its true Bafis. Thus you fee the Con- nexion 250 S E R M O N S on SERM. nexion there is between Sin and Punifh- XI. ment ; that Sin carries ' its own Ptiniih- ent along with it. The Confcience as it is equal to a thoufand WitneiTes, fo is it to a thoufand Torments; and indeed, the Punimment that is felt here is very often fo great, that People fome- times chufe rather to part with their very Beings than undergo it ; and that over and above this, Sin will meet with Pu- nimment from Men, as far as it comes within their Cognizance : But however this be, all Evil is Enmity to Good, fo it is more efpecially to the Author and and Fountain, and flies directly to the Throne of God for Vengeance. But perhaps the Sinner thinks to efcape the Punimment that is due to him : But how will he do this ? Can he think of doing Evil to a Society, and not expect to be punim'd by the Society for it ? And fuppofe he does, and by leaving it flies from Juftice, yet how will he fly from himfelf ? he may indeed leave one Coun- try, and fly into another, yet unlefs he could leave his Mind behind him, he could never be the further remov'd from Punimment ; for that will always hang as a dead Weight upon him, and accom- pany him in the remoteft Climate : He has no Right to Joy, he is incapable of Happmefs , for upon the whole Evil is due various SUBJECTS. 2,51 due to him. Jr. vain then are all the SERM. beauteous Objects of Art or Nature pre- XL fented to his Sight, fince the troubled ^^Y^ Mind, like the Jaundic'd Eye, paints a falfe Colour upon them all; pleafing Sounds are no longer grateful to the Ear, nor delicious Meats to the Tafte, it is all horrid Difcord and Confufion; every thing without correfponds exactly with the Mind within, and confpires to pu- tt ifh the Man. But fuppofe he could fly from himfelf too, and that all within was fmooth and ferene, yet how will he be able to fly from God ? Where can he go, that he cannot find him out, to whom all Hearts are open, 'and from whom no Secrets are hid ? Will he climb up to Heaven, be is there ; and if hrgo down to Hell, he is there a/Jo ; if he take the Wings of the Morning^ and re- main in the uttermojl Parts of the Sea, even there alfo he JJ:aU not avoid his Prcfencc; if he fays perad-ventitre the Darknefs Jhall cover him, then jhall his Night be turned to Day ; for 'the Dark- . nefs is no Darknefs with him, but tbs Night is as clear as the Day, the Dark- nefs and the Light to him are both alike. So that tho' he could efcape every thing elfe, he cannot fly from a Being "that is every where prefent, nor from the Ven- .geance, which every Sin calls to him for, I i and 151 SERMONS on SERM. and which he will certainly punim, as XI. Governor of the Univerfe, to preferve the Order and Goverment of the whole, and that Good may prevail, and tri- umph over Evil. For could we fuppofe Sin to go unpunim'd, and every Man, and every Action of Man, had not Juftice done them, we no longer fuppofe God to be at the Head of things j or elfe that Juftce and Judgment are not the Habitation of his Throne ; for this one Irregularity argues a Male-Adminiftration^ and is inconfiftent with all the Notions we have of infinite Wifdom, Goodnefs, and Juftice. Thirdly But now, if every Sin flies to Heaven, and calls to God for Vengeance, Sins of a more heinous Nature, fuch as Murder, muft do fo in a more extraordi- nary Manner: That afTumes of courfe a louder, and more importunate Voice ; as it is in the firft Place an Injury done to God himfelf ; for it is killing him, as far as we are able to do it, /. e. in his Image ; it is ftriking at the very Deity it felf ; and wrefting that Vengeance out of his Hands, which belongs to him, as Govenour of the Univerfe ; befides the Injury done to Human Nature itfelf, and confequently to every one that partakes of it, to the Society efpecially, to which a Man belongs, by cutting off a Member of a various SUBJECTS. 253 it, and vefting in himfelf the Power of SERM. the whole Community, which every XI. Murderer does, and likewife to the injur'd Perfon himfelf, by depriving him not only of all the Benefits of Society, to which, as a Man, he has a Natural Right, till he forfeits it to the Community, but allb of Life itfelf, which God only can give, and he only has a Right, or the Magi- ilrate who is his Vicegerent, to take away. The Sin of Murder then is a Sin of a complicated Nature, and has a very great Malignancy in it; for as it ftrikes at Human Nature itfelf, and even at the Deity too, a Man cannot be fup- pos'd to be guilty of it, till he has al- moft blotted out his Humanity, and defac'd the Image of God within him. And indeed the Remorfe and Fear, to fay nothing of any other Punimment that attends the Commiffion of this dread- ful Crime, bears an exact Proportion to the Guilt of it, which mews the dreadful Nature of it in the moft lively manner imaginable. The Man, who has ftain'd his Hands with Blood, fears a Revenge awaiting him from every Part of Nature; and not without good Reafon ; for as the Prophet fays, The Stones Jhall cry out of the Wall, and the Beams out of the Tim- ber foall anfiuer It. Every Breeze of Wind whifpers a Memorandum of his I i 2 Guilt, 1 254 SERMONS an SERM. Guilt, and breathes the Vengeance that is XL due to it : At the Ruftling of a Leaf he operid her Mouth to receive thy Brother $ Blood jrom thy Hand: When thou tills}! the Ground iifiall not henceforth yield unto thee her Strength, a Fugitive, and a Vagabond Jhalt thou be in the Earth. He faid unto the Lord, my P'iiuifiment is greater than I can bear : Behold tbou haft driven me out this Day from the Face of the Earth, and from thy various S u B j EC T s. 255 thy Face flail I be hid ; i. e. from the im- SERM> mediate Prefence of God as heretofore, XI. and I flail be a Fugitive and Vagabond l/YNJ in the Earth, and it flail come to pafs, that every one, that Jlndeth me, flail flay me : But from this he was preferv'd, and accordingly a Mark was fet upon him, left any finding him fhould. kill him. What that Mark was, tho' there are many Conjectures about it, which are of little Ufe, unlefs it be to (hew the Fol- ly of thofe who make them, is not mate- rial ; whatever it was we find it was fome- thing that prevented People from killing him ; and this is all the Account we have, or need have concerning it. Having thus (hewn, that every Sin calls to Heaven for Vengeance j and that the Sins that are of a Heinous Nature, fuch as Murder, do fo in a more extraor- dinary manner, let us fee now, Secondly, What proper Obfervations are to be made upon it. And Firjt, we may obferve the Goodnefs and Juftice of God, in that he will not fuffer the leaft Evil to go without its Compenfation ; that Punimment (hall be the fure Confe- quence of Sin, which if it does not over- take a Man in this Life, upon account of the many Imperfections and Chances that attend the State of things, tho' it will always have its Chance for being punifh'd ^$6 SERMONS on SERM punifh'd here, which is all that Time XI. can give it, and a Certainty of it in Eter- nity there will furely be j and therefore M the Evil does go unpunijtid in this Life, tho* here below the Wicked triumph* and the Ungodly pro/per, yet as this is not always the Cafe, fo when it happens to be fo, it is not the Confequence of any Male-Adminift'ration in God, but of the Imperfection of theprefent State of things, which cannot be perfected but in Eternity. But there are fome, who are fo far from thinking that there is any thing wrong in a Sinner's not being punifh'd in this Life, that they rather incline on the contrary to think it inconfiftent with the Goodnefs of God to punim any Man at all, either here or hereafter j as if Juftice was fomewhat contrary to Goodnefs j and Gcodnefs was bound to relieve the Punifhment that Injuftice did inflict; whereas thefe things are all one in God, and only become different, as they are by us differently apprehended. For to punifh the Evil is to do it as much Good as belongs to it ; as to reward the 'Good is to render it the Juftice that is due to it. To an abfo- Jute Being thefe things are the fame : To Reafon, Truth, Juftice, and Goodnefs are all one, and the fame thing : And in this View to (hew Goodnefs to a Be- jng is to (hew it Juftice and Truth -, and various SUBJECTS. 257 and to (hew Truth is to mew Juftice SERM. and Goodnefs, and fo on : To the Senfe XI. they are not fo, for that reprefents them in different Lights, to one Faculty they are one thing, to another another, and fo on. To Pity, a Man is an Object of Mercy ; to Refentment, an Object of Juftice; and to Love, an Object of Goodnefs: So that upon the whole it is not inconfiftent with the Goodnefs of God to punifti Evil, any more than it is inconfiftent with his Juftice to reward Good ; if it was, then it would follow that there is no Difference in things, and that Good and Evil are the fame. Secondly, If every Sin calls to Heaven for Vengeance, this may teach us the Malignancy of it, and mew how cautious we ought to be of committing it ; for tho' we may have a thoufand Chances for efcaping Punifhment from Men, yet we have no Chance againft God ; it is all Certainty there. Let us therefore upon the Commiffion of it be fure to be early in feeking God by Repentance ; for that, as it is a making Reparation to Juftice, will ftand between us and Vengeance, and take off the Violence of the Blow : It will plead for us as Abraham did for Sodom ; whereas an obftinate Impeni- tency is not only a denying of all Juftice, and the Truth of things, but alfo a deny- ing 25 3 S E El M o I* S on SERM. ing of a Deity, or which is much the XI. fame, denying that he has any thing to do in the Government of the World ; and becaufe the Way to prevent great Sins is to avoid frnall ones, let us rather guard againft that which we think the moil minute and inconfiderable, left for want of being kept under they bor- row Strength from Indulgence, and grow at laft unconquerable. As to the parti- cular Sin of Murder a Man cannot come at it without wading thro* a deal of Ma- lice, Envy, Hatred, &c. Thefe Avenues are therefore in the firft Place to be taken Care of, as they deferve our moil ferious Confideration. That Abel found Favour with God, when Cam could not, was the firft thing that ftirr'd up his Envy, which for want of being check'd, foon took Ma- lice and other Companionsto its Affiftance and at length broke out into the deadly Crime mention'd in the Text. If at any time then we find this to be the Cafe, that things go better with other Peo- ple than ourfelves, let our Anger begin at home, and be employ 'd upon the Evil of our own Hearts, to which it properly belongs; and let us, before we envy others, deferve better ourlelves. Which that ive 'may all do. God of his infinite Mercy grant for the fake of Jefus Chrijl, &c. S E R^ SERMON XII, ACTS xxiv. 1$. fa reafoned of Right eoufnefs> andTemperance, andjudgment to come, Felix trembled, and anfu/ered, Go thy way for this Time, 'when I have a conveni- ent SeaJ on I will call for thee. Ighteoufhefs, and Temperance, and g RM Judgment to come, are very un- welcome Doctrines to a Sinner that has not loft all Senie of Shame .and R emorie, and efpecially the laft of thefe. For what Pleafure can he, who has been always accuftom'd to indulge his Defires and Appetites, poffibly take in hearing Lec- tures upon Temperance and Righteoufnefs, that are Ib oppoflte to this. Certainly thefe Sounds muft be very grating to a leniual Ear, efpecially iince there is to be an At- ter-Reckoning for thefe Things, where K k Punifh- ^6o S E R M o N s on SFRM. Puni foment, which is upon the whole due XII. to Sin, will certainly overtake it, whatever it does in this Life. 'Tis no wonder then to find the Perfpn in the. .Text fet a trem- bling when St. Taut touch'd upon thefe Points. The greater Wonder is ftill be- hind, which is this j that y when his Con- fcience had reprefented thefe Things in Ib frightful a manner, he fhould notwithftand*- ing put off the Confideration of them to a- nother Time. And yet fo great a Wonder as this is> it was not his Cafe alone, but the Cafe of many Sinners ever fince, who are apt enough to be ftartled to hear of Virtues they never pra&is'd, and tremble at the Mention of a Judgment to come, which they hardly ever thought of. But then this is only a fudden Fit, too violent to laft long, and - . therefore they loon get rid of it, as well as f the Oceafion of it ; and a Meflenger of fuch unwelcome Truths is fure to be di* mifs'd like the Apoftle, with a Go tty way for this Ttmc \ when 1 have a convenient Seafon I ivill find for thee. In difcourfing upon the Woids of the Text, I will fhew L That there is aPunifhment due to Sin. and a Conicioufneis of it at one time or other in every Sinncc. II. The various SUBJECTS. 16 1 II. The Folly and Danger of refuGng to SERM. give a proper Attention to the Suggestions XII. of a guilty and terrified Confcience. " The/r/? appears from the Goodnefs of God, : or, which is the fame, his Goodnefs confider'd as exerting itfelf for the Good and Welfare .of the whole Creation. For if God, as he is the great Creator, is alfb the Governor of the World, and intends the Happinefs of it, 'tis necefiary that fbmething fhould be done for the Security of this Happinefs ; /. e. that a fufficient Controul or Check Ihould be put upon whatever would deftroy it. NowEvil is the only Thing that can obftruft theHappinefs -of theWorkl SorneConflraint muft therefore be put upon it to hinder it from doing fo. Ac- cordingly the great Governor of the Univerfe has thought fit to order that Puniftiment fhall be the natural and certain Confequence f Sin or Evil; that every Degree of Evil ihould be attended with a Degree of Punilh- ment proportionable j and the everlafting Laws of Righteoufnels, which are the Se- curity of the Good and Happinefs of the Univerfe, are bound to fee this done. Nor is this any Argument againft the Goodnefs of God, but a very ftrong one for it ; for ihould Evil go unpunished, it would foon deftroy theHappinefs of theUniverfe, which K fc a Good- SERMONS on SERM. Goodnefs, by the Notions we have of it, XII. fhould prevent. To imagine therefore that " Goodnefs fhould not punifh Evil, is the fame thing as to fay that Goodnefs fhould not be \vhat it is : For fhould Evil go un- punifh'd, there would be a mahifeft Injury done the Whole, which Goodnefs is con- cern'd to prevent. To remit the Pain there- fore of Evil as fuch, muft be inconfiftent with all the Notions we have of Goodnefs. 'Tis to ftrike up a Friendfhip between two Op- pofites, whofe Nature it is always to oppo one another. So far as there is room for Pity, fo far you conceive lefs Evil, and con- fequently there will be a proportionable A- t>atement of Punifhment ; but to fuppofe in Evil, as fuch, that the Punifhment of it can t>e remitted by Goodnefs, is an impoffible thing. We are now got fb far as to know that Punifhment is due to Sin : And it will be no Objection to this, that the Sinner is often feen to enjoy the good Things of this Life, to indulge like Felix in unlawful Plea- fures, to revel in Bowls, and rejoice at the Sound of the Organ ; forthefe Pleafuresare Nvhat he has no Right to, they don't belong to him ; he muft therefore become Debtor for them, and pay them back with Intereft \ for Punifliment is due to him, which, if it does various SUBJECTS. does not overtake him in this Life, becaufe, SERM; confidering the many Accidents that hap- XII. pen here, the Circle of Life is not large e- V nough for it always to come round (tho* fbme he will alway meet with here) yet in the next he will certainly meet with it in its full Proportion ; ib that no Objection will lie againft this from the Slownefs of its Pro- greis, as long as it is fure at lair. Of a Certainty of Punilhmentdue to Sin here and hereafter God has given every Sinner a Con- fciouineis, which, as it is on the one hand a terrifying Remembrance of paft Guilt, fo it is a moft gracious Provifion God has ap- pointed to prevent future. So that God has not left himfelf without Witnefs in the Hearts of Men, where he has fet up a faith- ful Monitor to enable us to diftinguiih be- tween Good and Evil, and to chule one and avoid the other ; that all the World may be without Excule, and that God may juftify and clear himfelf when he is judged. And this Monitor which God has let up in our Hearts, is by no means an imaginaryThing ; nor is the Remembrance that it gives us up- on the Commifllon of Evil an artificial Fear and Sorrow, as Atheiftical People think (if they do think fo) a preternatural Fear in- fus'd into Men's Minds in their Infancy by Parents, SERMONS en SERM. Parents, Matters, Guardians, &c. tho* this XII. is a g r eat Addition to it, but a Thing which God himfelf has planted in the Hearts of all Men } for we find it univerfally. 'Tis to be feen in thofe who have had little or no Inftruclion of any kind, as well as in thofe that have j tho' not to fo great a Degree, for want of fuch a proper Cultivation. And befides, from whence could theie People, who are iuppos'd to infufe this Fear into others, have it themfelves ? Or where had they a Foundation for this ? A Thing fo universal muft be inftill'd by the Hand of Nature. Befides, if it were artificial it could never laft long, the Impreffion would in time wear out, and the Mind would at laft recover its former State, But we find this is not the Cafe : For thefe Fears always remain, as long as there remains a Senfe of Good and Evil, and there will continue for the Ufes before-mention'd. Indeed this natural Fear may, if neglefted, in time wear out too ; but then it is becaufe 'tis fupu prefTed, and not fuffer'd to have its due In- uence upon us ; whereas the other wears off of itfelf. Of this Remembrance we have many Inftances in Scripture, a very yemarkable one in Bel[ba&z,ar j I mean with refpect to the Hand-writing on the Wall ; various SUBJECTS. 1.6? Wall; for the MENETEKEL fet him SERHT.' all a trembling. Nor was it all the Gran- ^CIL dear, Magnificence, or Luxury with which ^^ he was furrounded, that could adminifter any Confblation to a troubled Mind. And indeed what from without can give any Sa- tisfaction when the Mind within is difcom- pos'd ? Many are the Amuiements which the World affords, andwhichtheScnfe pra- vides us with, to divert the Mmd, and cheat it into Pleafure. Many the Devices and Ex- periments to difarm this inward Tormentor* and rob him of his Strength ; but all in vain ; there is no entring to bind the flrong Man. What was it made Felix tremble but the Terror of Confcience, which theApoftle had awaken'd in him by preaching upon Temperance or Righteoufnefs,. to which he had been a great Stranger, and efpecrdly upon the News of a Judgment to come ? And indeed when all the Avenues of Plea- fure are ftopp'd, and no Relief from with- out to the Mifery within, how melancholy muft be that State ! So that well might the wife Man fay, (Trov. xviii. 14.) A 'wounded Spirit who can bear ? And al> Job (Job xxvii. 6.) well knowing how dreadful the Sting of Conlcience muft be, refolyes that his Heart Jbatt not reproach him, SERMONS wi ,SERM. Mm. And tho' the bare putting People in XII. mind of their Crimes may not always have a p r0 p er Influence, they may bully it out againft fuch Remembrances as thefe; yet \vhen a Judgment to come is prefs'd home to them, it feldom fails of making a deep .Impreffion. The Confideration of another Life after this, where the Punifhment that is allotted to Evil will be full grown, will .awaken thofe Fears which no other Confi- .derations could reach. And poffibly the Apoftle might have talk'd long enough of ^Righteoufnefs and Temperance, tho' to lit- tle Purpofe, if he had faid nothing of a future Account, an After-Reckoning. But when he mention'd a Judgment to come, then, very likely, it was that Felix trem* bled. And indeed the Terror of that Day is beyond all Expreffion, when we JhaH att affear before the Judgment-Seat of Chrifty to be rewarded or punifli'd for the .Things done in the Body } when the ever* lairing Volume fhall be cfliplay'd, and every individual Sin, which lay concealed from all mortal Eyes, fhall appear in its full Mag-* nitude ^ and Hill more if \ve go a little far- ther, and view the Sinner receiving Sentence of Condemnation, and juft ready to depart from the Prefence of God for ever, into the Eternity various SUBJECTS. 167 Eternity of Sorrow that was prepared from SERM. the Foundation of the World to receive him. Thele Things are enough to melt the hardeft Heart, and make the braveft Sinner trem- ble : Which, by the way, is no lifnall Ar- gument of a future Judgment, fince other- wile this Fear, which is plainly implanted in our Nature, would be planted there to no Purpofe. But what tho* after all God has implanted in the Heart of Man a Confciouihefs of a Puniflhment due to Sin, if People will, not- withftanding, refule to give a proper At- tention to it ? Now the Folly and Danger of this I come, Secondly r , to confider. This Confciouihefs of Punifhment due to Sin I have already fhewn to be a gracious Provifion to prevent Evil for the future. But if we refule to- give it a due Attention, we fruftrate the Defign and Intention of it. What will it fignify for Confcience to call, if we will not hear ? If it awakes us now and then from the Lethargy of Sin> and we, with the Slug- gard in the Troverbs^ require a little more Sleepy a little folding of the Hands toSleef? But do we confider the Confequence of thole Things ? Are we fure that this Gonfcience, L 1 which a<58 S E R M o N s on SERM. which we ib often ftifle and fupprefs, will XII. always remain ? That it will not grow hard ^^ and callous, and become at laft inltnfible ? And what can be a more melancholy State, than for Evil to increafe, and Punifhment haftening to overtake, and all that while no friendly Monitor to give us any Notice that we may avoid it ? But let us examine a little into the Bottom of this Condition' Why do we refufe to give a proper Atten- tion to the Calls of Confcience ? Will it be faid, Becaufe we can't ? Would it not be truer to fay, We won't ? But perhaps it will be laid, We can't do it now y but will certainly do it at fbme other Time. Very well j let this be the Caie. And now to confider this a little more particularly ; What Reaibn can we have, that hinders us from laying hold of the firft Opportunity, that -will not equally hold good at any other Time? The true Queftion is, Whether it is proper, or a Thing fit to do at all ? If fo, then certainly it is very proper to lay hold of the fipft Opportunity ; for 'tis grown in- to a Proverb, To leave nothing till to- morrow which we can do to-day : And every one will eafily grant, that whoever does fb, does not ad the Part of a wife Man, but is guilty of great Folly and Abfurdity. But now various SUBJECTS. now there is no Abfurdity on the other Side SERM. of the Queftion. 'Tis no Folly for a Man to hearken to the Dictates of his Confcience. Nay, this muft be allowed to be right, even by thofe who propofe to do it ibme other Time ; for by fo doing they don't dilallow of the prefent Time, but only fome Acci- dent or other hinders them. They are for difcharging their Confcience, as Felix did St 'Paul, with a Go thy way for this Time ; when I have a convenient Seafon I will fend for thee. This may poffibly be in- tended ; but when will this convenient Seafon come ? One Seafon goes, another comes, which is fucceeded by another, and another ; but ftill 'tis not a convenient Sea- Ion. When is it then, that it will be a convenient Seafon ? When we can fin no longer, or have nothing elfe to do ? We \vill take it in the moft favourable Senfe, and fuppofe it to be the next Opportunity. Very well : But now fuppofe this Oppor- tunity never conies; for 'tis altogether as reafonable to fuppofe this, as to fuppoie the contrary. What will be the Confequence then ? This is leaving it to Chance to make the beft of it. For to leave a Thing to any future Time, is to leave it to all the Con- fequences that may happen in that Time. L 1 2 The 170 SERMONS on SERM. The Way that every wile Man takes in XII. his Affairs, is to make a Provifion againft Accidents. He manages his Affairs in fiich a manner as to expeft fuch things. 'Tis true, when this Opportunity comes, a Man may poffibly lay hold of it, and improve it to his Advantage : I fay, he may poflibly do it ; but there is only a bare Poffibility of it : For he can't be fure that what hin- ders him now will not do fo then too. Yet, befides all this, as there is but a Poffibility neither whether this Opportunity may ever come or no, (for what may be may not be too) 'tis very abfurd to leave it to that, e- ipecially when on the other hand he may have a Certainty. Befides, what do we get by this Delay ? We get Time to fin in- deed :' But is not this adding ftill to the Ac- count, and making the Sum larger ? We find it fb in other things : The longer we defer a Work, the more it grows upon our Hands, and confequently the lefs able fhall we be to accomplilh it : For that which at firft might be mov'dwith one Finger, will, when the Weight is increas'd, require the Strength of the whole Body. But there are too many that think it is time enough to think of thefe Things when they are on their Death-Bed, that 'tis time enough to amend various SUBJECTS. 71 amend their Lives when they are going to SERA*. part with them, and relinquifh their Sins when they can keep them no longer. But what ! is this a convenient Seafon ? Will a Day or a Week be time enough for a Work of thirty, forty, fifty or fixty Years? We may make Refolutions indeed, and pro- mife what we will do, but whether we fhall certainly perform or not, will require Time to (hew ; which in this Cafe is not to be had, and God only knows whether we fhould perform them if it was. 'Tis to be fear'd, it is more than probable, that Pro- mifes made in time of Danger or Extremity, by Fear, will be but little regarded when that Fear and that Danger that caus'd them are remov'd. Take away the Cauie, and the Effecl: ceafes of courfe. For if you fuppofe no Senfe of Fear or Danger, or, which is the fame, that thefe have not their proper Influence upon the Mind, you can't well fuppofe any Reformation. And that this might be the Cafe of a Perfon fuppos'd to be on a Death-Bed, fhould he recover^ is not impoffible, becaufe it certainly has been. How many do we meet with in the World, of whom one might truly fay this is their Cafe ! Who have been in the lame Danger, and made the lame Promifes, and what SERMONS on SERM. what has been extorted from them by Sick- XII. nels, has been forgot in Health ! I don't *^~^ fay that this is always Ib. But, however, theFe can be no fufficient Foundation for- Dependence or Truit in fuch a Cafe. Upon the whole then : If there is fuch a thing as a Puniihment due to Sin, and if the Conscience informs us of this, let us give it a proper Attention. We allow the Gratifi- cation of our Defires, our Pleafures and A- mufements their Seaibn ; let not then the Happinefs and Welfare of another World be the only Thing that ihall be deprived of a convenient Seaibn. Let us confider, that if our Repentance reaches no further than the Defign and Intention, if it is not to be let about at Ibme certain Time in this Life> there is no doing it any where elfe ; there is no Refentance in the Grave, whither we are going. People of narrow Minds, who confine their Views within this Circle of things here below, may poffibly think light- ly of thefe Things, who know no other Pleafures but thofe of Senie, nor any other Torments but the fliort momentary ones of this Life. But if we carry our Views be- yond the prelent State of things, and look into Futurity, however thele Things ap- pear in this Life, there they mult have an- other various SUBJECTS. other Afpetr. When we confider Pleafure SERM. and Pain, not as precarious and momentary, - H. but certain and eternal ; whoever confiders thefe things rightly, will give them their due Weight. And indeed People cannot want Motives to this"; the Scripture abounds with a Multitude of PaiTages, that reprefent thefe Things in a true Light, and with a Multitude of Arguments and Perfuafions to a right Confcience. It conitantly teaches us that Vice is odious, paints the Deformity of it, and that it is attended with a certain Degree of Puniliment here, but will be pu- nilh'd eternally in another State ; that Vir- tue is attended here with a certain Degree of Happinefs, and an Eternity of it here- after, and Arguments drawn from the Na- ture of thefe things, from the Happinefs on one fide, and the Torments on the other. And can we now, after all, think that a few momentary Pleafures bear any Propor- tion to the Pleafures that are to have no End ? Is an heavenly Felicity nothing ? Is it nothing to fee the Face of God, and en- joy him to all Eternity ? To have our Hopes and Delires compleated and gratified to the utmoft Perfection ? If all this is nothing, is it alfb nothing to be evermore {hut out from the Prefence of God, and to live in endlefs SERMONS on SERM. endlefs Torments, and be for ever tortur'd, XII. without even the Hopes of any Relief? How Ihould we then wilh to begin again, and have a fecond Trial ! How ihould we improve thole Fragments of Time that now lie upon our Hands ! But, alas J there is a great Gulfh fx'd fo that there is no faf- fing from thence. Now we have it in our Power to prevent thefe fruitlefs Wifhes, let us prevent the melancholy Reflections upon what we would have done, by doing it. If Happinels and Mifery are worthy our Con- cern, their being eternal does not make it lefs fb, I iuppoie. Let our Regard to thefe Things be proportioned to the Value Importance of them, that, when Time is fwallowed up in Eternity, our Happinefs may partake of the fame Perfection, and continue without End. Amen. SER- SERMON XIII. ACTS xxiv. 16. ^4nd herein do I exercife to have always a Conjciencc void of Offence towards God t&nd towards Men. HESE Words are part of the Anfvver which St. Taul gave to XIII. the Accufation brought againft him by Tertulkts. The whole Cafe is this : When he was lent from Jc- rufalcm to Cejarea for fear of the JCKS, who intended to deftroy him, and his Ao cufers \vere come, they eraploy'd a certain Orator, named Tertnlhis^ to inform the Go- vernor againft Taul j who accordingly laid many grievous Crimes to his Charge ; 3- mongft the reft, that he was a feftilent Fel- low , a Sower of. Sedition among all the Jews throughout the World, and a *Profaner of the Temple. But now to prove the Impro- M m bability 2.76 SERMONS en SERM. bability of this Charge, and how unlikely XIII. it was that he fhould raife any Tumults ac- cording to this Accufation, he fhews, that it was but twelve Days fince he went up to Jerusalem to worfhip, feven of which he fpent there, until the Time of his Purifica- tion was accomplilhed, and the other five he had been in Cuftody, and at Cefarea -, and, fays he, they neither found me in the Temfk di (fitting with any Man, neither raijing up the *Peofle, neither in the Synagogues, nor in the City, neither can they frove the Things whereof they now accufe me ; and then he goes on ftrenuoufly afierting his Innocence and Integrity, and gives a fhort Account of his Religion, fhewing plainly that he wor- fhip'd no other God than the God of his Fathers, whom Abraham, Ifaac and Ja- cob had worftiipped, and that he profefs'd no other Religion than what was taught in the Law and the Prophets, from whence they themfelves had received theirs -, But this I confefs unto thee, that after the Way 'which they call Herejy, fo worjhif I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and the Tr of bets, and have Hope towards God, which they them- Jelves alfo allow, that there jhall be a Re- furrettion of the Dead, both of the Ju.jtand Unjufl : various SUBJECTS. 177 Unjuft : And herein do I exerctfe rnyftlf, to SERM- have always a Cenfaence void f Offence XIII. towards God and towards Men ; L e. up- " < on Confideration of the Refurre&ion of the Dead, and that we (hall be rewarded or punifh'd, according as we have done well or ill in this Life, I accuftom myielf to live without Blame, without being conlcious of having done any thing that fliall be an Of- fence to God or Man. From the Words of the Text I will flievv, I. What it is to have a Confcience void of Offence towards God and towards Men* IL The Happinels that refults from it, and the Milery that attends the Want of it. III. I fhall lay down fome Rules and Di- re&ions in order to our obtaining fuch a Conscience. Firft, I am to (hew what it is to have a Confcience void of Offence towards God and towards Men. Now Confcience is the Judgment of a Man's own Mind concerning the Morality of his Aftions j and as all Ac- tions are either good or bad (as they arc either commanded or forbidden by God) or elfe M m z ift- 173 SERMONS on SERM. indifferent, as they are neither commanded XIII. nor forbidden, fo it is the proper Bufinefs ^" V ^ of Confcience to regulate them accordingly, and to approve or condemn us, according as we have obferv'd or tranfgrefs'd the Law of God : And to have a Conscience void of Of* fezce towards God and towards Mc^ is to make our Actions conformable to the Law of God ; which takes in a vaftCompafs t)f Duty, becaufe it includes in it alJ the Duties we owe to God and our Neighbour.' t They can't be faid then to have a Confcience thus void of Offence, who are very diligent and induftrious in the Petformance of ibme Duties, but are careleis and neglectful of others; who will do only what is agreeable, tb their Inclinations, and hazard theNegleft of every thing elfe ; obi ervex)ne Duty, and compound for the reft : feut they who ob- ferve a Uniformity in their Actions, and take care to perform their Duty mall things - ; who are as careful in keeping one Command- ment as another j who think it as much a Sin to be uncharitable and cenforious, as to rob or fteal ; to be an Extortioner or unjufl, as to be a Sot or a Drunkard, 9?r. For in- deed they who Iccm to be very confcientious in fome things, and the reverie of it in o- thers '\ who iccm to be rigid and zealous in. the various SUBJECTS, 179 the Performance of Ibme few Virtues, and SERM, fhevv an Abhorrence of feme particularViceS) which don't happen to be agreeable to their Conftitution, tho' at the fame time they in. dulge themfelves in other Vices that are al- together as bad ; who can fwear, lye and cheat, and yet at the fame time thank God they are not as other Folks are, Adulterers, Drunkards, f)r. I fay, theie have no Pre- tence to Conference, becaufe a truly conlci- entious Difpofition would direct them to a Uniformity in their Actions, and lead them to a ikdfaft Adherence to all thofe Principles of Morality and Religion, which are either imprinted in them by Nature, or reveal'd to them by the Word of God ; it would direcl: them to the ftrait Paths of Virtue, and teach them to avoid all Temp- tations that lie in the way of it ; it would indeed teach them a general Reftitude, and a univerfai Obedience to all Parts of their Duty. But who, you'll lay, is fufficient for thcfe things ? Who can acquit and juftify himfelf before God, as to the perfect Inno- cence and Integrity of his Life ? Who can fay, I have made my Heart clean, I am free from my Sin ? Now, tho' it is not in a Man's Power to obferve and do his Duty in all things, without fome Deviations, fome in- voluntary &8o SERMONS on SERM. voluntary Miftakes, yet our Endeavours XIII. certainly are in our Power, and thole it i$ expe&ed that we make ufe of. God does not require any thing of us above what we are able, but then he requires what we have in our Power to do, and where we have not Power, he will fupply the Want of it with his divine Afliftance. But let it be obferv'd further, that to have a Conference void of Offence toward* God and towards Men, will fignify but little if it be put in pradice only at particular Times, for 'tis neceflary that it be fb al- \vays. The Apoftle's Conicience was not only void of Offence, but it was always ib f 'twas what he exercis'd himfelf in the whole Couiie of his Life. This requires a con- ftant, fteady Temper of Mind } no fudden Flalhes of Piety, that go off as ibon as they come, and ieem to be rather the Fever of Conlcience than the natural State of it i no tranfient Thoughts, that die upon our Hands } no fhoriTranfports and Fits of De- votion, fuch as it is in the Powrr of every light Affliction to ftifle and fupprefs, but an even, regular, uniform Courle of Life. They are therefore very much miftaken, who think they have preferv'd a clear Con^. and thoroughly difcharg'd their Duty ? various SUBJECTS. Duty when they have performed ibme A&s of Religion at a few ftated Times, and then XHT. give themfelves the Loofe, and undo every thing they had done before, as if the Ob- ligations they are under to lead a good Life were not of equal Force and Strength one time as well as another. And yet there are many who, when they have perform'd their Duty at fome certain Times, attended the Service of God in publick, and behaved themfelves on fuch Occafions as every good Man ought, will fit down as well pleaied, and reft as well fatisfied, at leaft as to ali outward Appearance, as if they had tho- . roughly discharged their Conicience ; tho* perhaps they have fcarce done a good Ac- tion .at any other time in the whole Courie of their Lives, but on the contrary have indulged themfelves in all manner of InL quity ^ who will lye, and cheat, and revile their Neighbours, and (as long as they can keep thcmfelves within Covert, and icreen their Immoralities from the Eye of the World, or the Law) commit the greateft Villainies imaginable. And this is moft common among thole who truft in them- felves that they are righteous, and defpiie others; who when they have perform'd thei r religiousTask of goiffg to fbme public Place of i8i SERMONS on .SERM. of Worihip at the ufualTimes for fb doing ; I XIII. lay, when they have performed their Task, (f or f ucn they make it, whole Lives are not of a piece with it) aim at nothing further who can pray with their Mouth, and enter- tain Malice and Rancour in their Heart who can lift up their Eyes to Heaven, and their Hands againft their Brethren ; fuch are apt to think all is well, they may do whatever they pleaie, every thing in them is commendable and praiie-worthy. This O les he has a fure Friend to depend upon and tho' Storms andTempefts beat on every Side, yet within all is calm and ferene. A good Man, faith Solomon, Jball be fatis- fed from himfelf) and tho* the whole World ihould confpire againft him, yet as long as his own Heart is not againft him, he has inward Joy enough to make him a continual Feaft. The pleafant Reflection that arifes from a well-ipent Life will fupport the Mind un- der all Calumny and Reproach, and defend as from the ^Peftilence that walketh in Darknefs^ and from the Arrow that flieth in the Noon-day : For as it is, moft certain tfyat no Affluence of Fortune can keep a Man from being miferable when an enrag'd Conlcience flies in his Face, fo it is allb as certain that no temporal Adverfities can de- prive a Man of thofe inward, fecret, and invifible Supplies of Comfort which are the Refult of a Conference void of Offence. And this noble Frame and Temper of Mind, as it clears and delights us in the various Paths of Life, Ib it goes with us allb to our Jouj? ney's End, and accompanies us in the very Agonies of Death j it Hands by us at a Time N n 2 when SERMONS on SERM. when we have moft need of it, whenRicheS XIII. and Honour, and all worldly Comforts have ^^"^ left us, and nothing but Pain and Sicknels come in their Room and take Pofieflion ; then the Confcience ftands forth, and opens a" delightful Profped of Happinefs ro the departing Soul, juft fluttering upon the Borders of Eternity. 'Twas this that lupported the firft Chri- ftians under all their Tribulation?. Our Rejoicing, fays St. Taul, is this, the Tejli- inony of our Consciences, that in Simplicity and godly Sincerity we have had our Con- verfation in the World : 'Tvvas this that comforted them under the moft grievous !Perfecutions, and gave them Confidence to- wards God, becauie their Hearts condemned them not : 'Twas this that made them re- joice when they fuffer'd for the Name of Chrift, when they had Trials of cruel Mock- ings and Scourgings, yea, moreover of Bends and Imprisonment, when they were ftoned, and fawn afunder, when they were tempted, and ilain with the Sword, and were toitur'd, not accepting Deliverance, hat they might obtain a better Refurrec- tion. But when This fails us \ when our Hearts reproach us, and our Coniciences ferve only for wretched Remembrancers of paft various SUBJECTS. 187 f>aft Crimes, as they will always be to one SERM, whofe Confcience is not void of Offence, at XIII, leaft in ibme good meafure, both towards God and towards Men, then we fhall be forced to fink under the heavy Burden of Sorrow that will neceffarily fall upon us ; for when that Confcience, that fhould help us to bear the Calamities and Misfortunes of this Life with ftedfaft Courage, and a well-grounded Relblution, is itielf troubled and difquieted, where is the Man that can iupport himfelf under it? When our only Friend, or, atleaib that which alone is capable of being ib, is become our Enemy, and that, which ought to be our greateft Joy, is itfelf become our greateft Torment, who can endure it ? Bo- dily Sicknefs, and outward Afflictions a manly Spirit will fupport us under ; but when the Mind is caft down, and the Soul itfelf is opprefs'd, it is not in the Power of a Man to raife and lift it up. The Spirit of a Man will jufta'm his Infirmity, but a wounded Spirit who can bear > Great muft be the Torment of that Man who is for ever flying from himielf, and whofe Crimes are always flaring him in the Face, like the Hand-writing upon the Wall : And yetfuch is, and muft be, the Condition of him whole Thoughts are fad Anticipations of future Miiery, 2.88 SERMONS on SJKRM. Mifery, and frightful Preiages of what will XIII. com e hereafter; for his Life is now become a Burden too heavy for him to bear ; and, which is the greateft Misfortune, it is not in the Power of Riches, Honour, or any thing in the World to do him any Service, to filence the Clamours of Confcience, or re- lieve a diftra&ed Mind : And when he comes to depart this Life, and launch out into another World, to fill up the Meaiure of his Sufferings, Who can tell what Grief he muft endure ? what Pain ? what Sorrow ? what Reluctance ? And yet he is equally frighted at the Thoughts of Life ; he is afraid to live, and afraid to die ; a whole Eternity of Sorrow lies before him, behind him is the ghaftly Vifage of Defpair, ancj fad Remorfe on either Side. In fhort, he dies in Diftraction, and goes headlong into another World to receive the Remainder of that Pun i foment which he felt in this. Ha- ving fhewn what it is to have a Conscience of Offence towards God and towards ^ and the Happinefs that refults from it, and the Miiery that attends the Want of it, I come now, Thirdly, To lay down fbme Rules and Directions in order to our obtaining iuch a Confcience. varidus SUBJECTS. 2.89 Cbnfcience. And here thele two Things SER are moft natural to be obferv'd. i/?, TO XIIL endeavour all we can to underftand our Duty tight ; and, zdly y To pradife it. _ Firft, then, We fhould endeavour to un- derftand our Duty right ; for he that does not endeavour to inform himfelf aright in the Nature and Extent of his Duty, muft anfwer for all the Confequences of a mi- guided Judgment. A Man, indeed, is ob- liged not to ad contrary to his Conicience, becaufe that would be to ad againft the Light and Convidion of his own Mind> which being the Rule of his Adions, and the only Guide he has to walk by, it would be very finful not to do it : But then it will by no means follow from hence, that he is not obliged to get what Knowledge he can of his Duty, and to take care that his Confcience be rightly mform'd ; for as a Man is guilty of Sin, if he ads contrary to his Confcience, fb is he equally guilty by ading according to it, if he refufes to make uie of the Means of Information : Not that a Man is guilty of Sin by ading according to his erroneous Conicience, merely as erro- neous, for he has no other Rule to ad by } but becaufe he has brought himfelf under a Neecf- SERMONS on SERM. Neceflity of being in the wrong, and hag II. been himlelf the Cauie of his erroneous Con- fcience by refufing to ufe proper Means of getting it rightly informed. Therefore, for a Man to do a Thing contrary to the Will of God, when, if he had made ufe of pro- per Means, he might have prevented it, and then to cry out, He has aded according to his Confcience, and to think that that will be an Excuie for him, is very abfurd and finful ; becaufe, if he had us'd his Endea- vour, his Conlcience would not have direct- ed him to the doing of it, but quite the contrary. What a dilmal Condition then muft a Man be in who has brought himfelf to a Neceflity of finning do what he will, whether he ads according to his Confciencc or agairrft it ! And this, by the way, is one fad Effed of negleding to inform our Confciences aright ; whereas he who does his Endeavour to get the belt Knowledge and Information he can, and after all his Care cannot get rid of his Error, will be fure always to find this Satisfaction, that he ^as done what he can to find out the Truth, and tho' he is ftill in an Error, yet he is fure jt is not a wilful one, and therefore a good God will not punifh him for it. Now, in order to help our Confciences to a true Know- various S u B j E C'T s. 191 .Knowledge of things, we fhoulJ take care SHRM. to keep them clear from Scruples ; ior how- XIII. ever ibme may flatter themfelves with a too good Opinion of a fcrupulous Confcience, and fancy themfelves the better Chriftians for having fuch a one, yet it is certainly an Argument of a weak Mind. And here a Man ought to ufe his utmoft Care and Di- ligence in this Matter, becaufe without it his Scruples will remain, and the Fault will lie at his own Door. He fhould examine, whether thefe Scruples are not owing to Prejudice, or are cherifli'd by an idle Hu- mour of railing Scruples purely for the Sake of doing Ib j for thefe are not Scruples of Confcience, but downright Hypocrify. In- deed one Man is not to be tied up to the Confcience of another, but then it is his Duty to keep his own as clear as he can j for tho' one Man may differ from another* yet every one muft be perfuaded of the LawfalnefsorUnlawfulnefs of what he does, as much as he can. One Manefleemeth one Day above another, (fays St Taul) another efteemeth every Day alike ; but then (fays. he) let every Man be fully ferfuaded in bis O-JUH Mind. But if a Man can't conquer his Scruples, tho* he's much to be pity'd for it, yet he muft fo far overcome them as O o to > ^9 ^ SERMONS on SERM. to make them give way to all pofitive Laws XIII. of God, or the lawful Commands of his Superiors ; for when a Man is convinced in general of his Duty in thefe Cafes on the one Side, and has however a few Scruples, which will not on the other Side prove the contrary, if he does not incline to that Side that has the greateft Evidence, he makes his Humour the Rule of his Actions, than which nothing can be more abfurd, Befides, 'tis a Rule allow'd of in all Cas, that to Demonftration on one Side, there ought not to be oppos'd any Difficulties on the other. But, Secondly r , After we have done what we can to know our Duty, we muft be fure to be as diligent in the Practice of it ; anj the great Motive for doing fo is, as St Taul tells us, a Belief of the Refitrreftion for this will teach us to lead good Lives here, that we may be happy hereafter. The Knowledge of our Duty, without the Prac- tice of it, is of no Ule, unlefs it be to make the Omiffion and Neglect of it the more finful ; but both together argue a good Confcience, and make a Man pcrfed and compleat, as far as he can be fo in this Life. To various SUBJECTS. To conclude. A good Confcience will SERM- be always oar beft Friend, and net with- ftanding any Troubles or Misfortunes that may befall us at prefent, we may be fure That will bring us Peace at the laft. Mark the ferfett Man, (fays David) and behold the Uf right, for the End of that Man is "Peace. Now to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, be afcribed (as is moft due) all Honour, Glory, Praife, Might, Ma- jefty and Dominion, now, henceforth, and for evermore. Amen. O o a SER- SERMON XIV, a T i M. iv. 7, 8. / have fought a good Fight, ' I have finijhed my Courfe^ I have kept the Faith : Henceforth there is laid up for irte a Crown of Righteoufnefs* which the Lord, the righteous Judge* foall give me at that SERM. ^ : 33I$| T. Taut being well affured that XIV r . Hf s || he was about to put off this | earthly Tabernacle, and that the Time of his Departure drew nigh, was not at all uneafy under the Ap- prehenfions of it ; but, having the Tefti- mony of a good Confcience on his Side, de- clared his well-grounded Hope and Confi^ dence in God, and, like a victorious Soldier of Chrift, went off a Conqueror. IndeecJ various SUBJECTS. 195- Indeed the State of a Chriftian in this SERM. Life, is a State of Warfare. Chrift is our XIV, Head, and we are to fight manfully under his Banner againft Sin, the World, and the Devil, and to continue his faithful Soldiers and Servants unto our Lives end. Now the Apoftle acquitted himfeJf a faithful Sol- dier in thefe three refpeds. I. He fought a good Fight. From his Convcrfion to Chriftianity he followed the Example of his great Matter, entered the Lifts, and bravely carried on the War with the Prince of Darknefs, which our blefled Saviour had fo glorioufly begun. For the Sake of the Gojfel of Chrift, he had been in Wearinefs andTainfulnefs, mWatchings often, in Hunger and Thirft, in Faftings of- ten, in Cold and Nakednefs. He fought not only againft Flefh and Blood, againft human Violence, and corrupt Nature, but againft 'Principalities, againft Towers againft the R.ulers of the Darknefs of this World, againft ffiritual IVicked- nefs in high T laces. He knew that we muft through much Tribulation enter into the Kingdom of Heaven ; and accord- ingly he took up a Refolution to make all Oppofition fall before him, to take unto him 296 SERMONS on S,ERM. him the whole Armour of God, that he XIV. might be able to witMand in the evil Day, and having done #//, to ftand. II. He alfo fnifxd his Courfe. And this he did both as a Chriftian and an A- poille ; as atrueDifciple, as well as a faith*- ful AmbafTador of Chrift. He did not be- gin and then leave offj when he found the Burden grow heavy upon his Hands, but ^erfevered unto the End ; knowing that if be was faithful unto Death, he jhould re- ceive a Crown of Life. He was fo far from being weary of run- ning the Race that was fit before him^ that he went through it with Conftancy and Chearfulnefs j and, as he himfelf allures us, he took pleafure in Infirmities, in Re- proaches, in Neceflities, in Diftreffes for Chrift's Sake : for when I am weak y fays he> f. e. as to his outward State, then am I ftrong, viz. by the Power of Chrift. He appeals to all the Churches, as well as to God, who were Witnefles of his La- bours, to teftify the Unblameablenefs of his Life and Converfation. Te are Wit- yeJ/eSy fays he, and God alfo y how holUy > and juftly y and unblameably we behaved turfefoes among you that believe \ as ye. various SUBJECTS. 197 know, how that we exhorted you, and com- SERH. forted, and befou^ht every one of you, as a XIV. Father his Children, that you would walk worthy of God, who hath called you u-nto his K'mgdom and Glory. He went about f reaching boldly m Seafon and out of Season, and counted all Things but Lofs for the Excellency of the Know- ledge of III. He alfo keft the Faith. And that he did pure and inviolable. He did not in- troduce the Doctrines of Men in the Room of the Dottrines of Chrift, but faithfully tranfmitted the Doctrine of his Matter to the Churches without Alteration : For, fays he, what I have received of the Lord Je^ fus I have delivered unto you. And he re- ceived a Crown of Glory for his Pains. And indeed, if People will fight, and toil, and run the utmoft Hazards to obtain a corrup- tible Crown, which they did in the Qlymfick Games, from whence this figurative Exprei- fion is taken, well might we join with the Apoftle in doing greater things for an incor- ruptible one, that fadeth not away. Thus have T explained the Text, and fhevvn how the Apoftle has fulfilled it. I niaft now enter upon a melancholy Scene, and 198 SERMONS on .SERM. and fliew how the worthy Pcrfbn deceas'rf IV. has alfo made it appear, by a Life of good and virtuous Actions, that he has fought a good Fight ^ fnijbed his Cottrfe y and keft the Faith ; and is gone where he will receive that Crown of Righteoufnefs which is laid up in Heaven for him. And here I am fenfible of the great Diffi- culties I labour under, by endeavouring to do Juftice to the Character of fo good a Man, who is the Occafion of this melancholy Solemnity. As I ftiall certainly fail in paint- ing that lively Image of him which is al- ready fb well written in your Hearts, I muft intreat you to fupply the Defed. I am fatisfied how unequal I am to fb great a Task, and that you will now ex- pect greater things than I am able to fay ; and I muft confefs, that a very ftrong Af- fection for the Deceased, now with God, whole Memory will always be dear to me, has in a great meafure prevented me from faying as much as I was able : But I muft depend upon you to fupply what is wanting out of the Abundance of your Hearts. And now where (hall I begin ? Which of the Virtues he was poflefs'd of fhall I defcribe to you firft, fince he equally pofle fed them all, and that to a Degree wherein few various SUBJECTS. few others enjoy a fingle one ? Whether SERM. we confider him as a Divine, a Gentleman, a Husband, a "Father or a Friend, who can fay in which of thefe he moft excell'd ' He had Ib fweet a Mixture of the Gentle- man and the Divine, that every thing he laid found an eafy Pafiage to the Heart, and 1 ' conquered the Prejudices of the moft ob- durate. There grew up with him fuch a regular Piety, and fuch an unblemifh'd Probity, that he fhewed Religion in the Beauty of Holinels. He made People in love with Religion ; becaufe they law it in the Subftance as well as the Letter, which he made appear by living over every Precept he taught others. He had all the affable Sweetnels and Hu- manity that Good Nature could give, and all the extenfive Love and Charity of the Gofpel. He was of a peaceable, lovely DifpoHtion ; eafy in his Carriage, foft in his Addrefs, tender in his Nature, and full of the greateft Mercy and Companion. He was an Enemy to no Man, but a Friend to all ; for he was a Lover of Man- kind, and endeavour'd, as much as it was pofiible for one fingle Man to do, to pro- mote the Happineis of ail Men. P P H e SERMONS on SERM. He was devout in his Prayers, and re- XIII: gular and conftant in performing all the Duties of Religion. How conftant, how laborious a Difpenfer he was of the Word of God, you, who enjoyed the Eenefit of his Miniftrations, know full well ; and are W itnefles how faithful a Steward he was of the Work to which God had called him, even a Workman that needed not to be a- fhamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth. Let me appeal to you, to you his ibrrowful Flock, to teftify what Care he took of you, and how much he fought your Good, your Peace, your Safety. You know he preached the pure and un- corrupted Word of God, and both preach- ed and kept the Faith according to the Scriptures. Tou, iuho are his hftftle, as St "Taul fpeaks, known ana read of all Men, or rather the Epiftle of Chrift mini- ftred by him, you know how he laboured abundantly, and inftantly, not of Forcej but of Choice. He did it willingly, not fo much by any other Constraint, as that of Love to his Matter and the Souls of Men. And when he ftcod where I have the Honour and the Sorrow now to {land, you are Wit- neffes of the gentle Words that fell from his Lips, comforting the Dejeded, and re- frclhing various SUBJECTS. 301 frefhing the fainting Soul by all the- Powers SERM. of Perfuafi on and Advice. XIIL His Diicouries were not calculated to tire the Patience, and bewilder the Underftand- ings of his Auditors; but they were conciie and pathetick. He was happy in the Choice of his Words, and not leis Ib in putting them together. He affefted no ufeleis Re- dundancy, nor fententious Brevity. He avoided an extravagant Pomp of Words, as well as a Style that was mean and infipid. He kept a happy Medium between the two Extremes, and knew well what to fay upon every Subject, and when he had faid enough. Such was he ; but, alas .' he is now no more! Thofe Lips, that were \vont to pour out the Word of Truth and Righteoul- nefs, are now doled up in Death. Yet weep not for him, he is happy, but for yourfelves, that you are deprived of' fb good a Paftor. I may fay with the Prophet, TJjc righteous and merciful Man is taken a r jjay ; but T cannot fay of his Departure, that no Man layeth it to Heart, fince there is fo much Weeping and Lamentation for the Lofs of him. Where now ihall the poor Man find his. Friend ? To whom will the Diftrefled unfold their Trouble, and feek Relief ? He is P p 3. gone, SERMONS en SERM. gone, and has left us here to mourn hi s &?5fo Lofs ! And indeed 'tis hard to fay which is greater, the Happinefs he gave us while he was yet with us, or the Sorrow and Uneafinefs when he left us. But let us view him alio in the domeftic Relations of Life ; and here we mall find him eafy, gentle, and tender-hearted. He was a tender Husband, and an indulgent Father. And, as a Bleffing confequent upon it, a mutual Return of Love and Duty was conftantly paid him by a moft tender obliging Partner, and moft dutiful and lover ly Children. If we confider him likewife as a Friend ; he had all the good Qualities that were necnfTary to do kind Offices, and to eftablifh a firm and lafting Friend (hip. One thing was very remarkable in him : He. was always cheerful and in good Hu- mour ; and never fb eafy and well pteafed, as when he had been doing good. His Converfation turned always upon the Agreeable ; and he had an extraordinary Quality, very peculiar to him, of contri- buting, as much as he could, to the Hap- pinefs of thofe he converfed with, by lay- ing every thing that was pleafmg and ac - ceptable ; and this he did to thofe who were' prodigioufly his Inferiors, as I myfelf have various SUBJECTS. 303 have often experienced. By which means SERM. none ever went diipleafed out of his Com- XIV. pany, unlefs it was that they were obliged to go out of it at all. And fuch a Quality as this muft be founded upon a great deal of Judgment, as 'well as an extraordinary Degree of Humanity and Good Nature. He had a very good Knowledge of Men, and I Ihould have thought him very little fubject to Miftake, had he not pitch'd upon me to appear on this Occafion. He was the moft eafy of Accefs of any Man living, becaufe his great Candour and Charity difpofed him to think well of all. No Man loved his Friends better ; and he would have rejoiced to have forgiven his Enemies, had he any to forgive; but none were Enemies to him ; even Envy itfelf founded a Trumpet to his Fame, tho' it blafted the Character of every other Perfon. And however People difagreed and differ'd in other Matters, yet they all joined in Admiration of him, and ftrove^who could do the greateft Juftice to his Character. In- fbmuch as I have hardly ever heard hint named without being called a good Man r a nd Malice itfelf was forced to confefs it. How did all People make his Welfare their own Concern, and (hew Sorrow in their Counte- SERMONS on SERM. -Countenances during the Time of his Sick- nefs ! And fure if Prayers, and Tears, and Wifhes, or any thing that Man could do, would have prevailed, he had never died. He was wife without Affectation ; pious without Superftition ; courteous without Diffinmlation ; generous without Prodiga- lity. Whenever he did a good Thing for any one, he feemed to be doing a Favour to himfelf ; and would never admit of any other Return than the Satisfaction of his own Mind upon the doing it. To fee him was to love him and to converfe and he acquainted with him, was to be as happy as Innocence, and Goodnefs, and Virtue could make one. Upon his Face dwelt fuch a Serenity and Chearfulnefs of Temper, that whoever wanted a Favour of him found it half granted in his Countenance even before it was asked j and when it fb happened that he could not giant it, I won't lay his De- nial, but his not granting was courteous and obliging, and made the Petitioner in a kind of Doubt whether he had it granted or no. Such was his Humanity ! fuch his Can- dour ! liich his what fhall I call it ? Here I muft beg Leave to put you in mind of the Indulgence I have defired of you ^ for I find I want Words to exprefs myfelf and various SUBJECTS. and can only fay, that I would to God that SERM. only I, but all thole that hear me this Day, were altogether fuch as he was. But why do I tell you of thefe things ? You are beforehand with me in all this, and can teftify the Truth of what I fay, and a great deal more ; for, lo ! the one half of his vir- tuous Qualities has not been told you. As for you, if any fuch are here prefent, who had not the Happinefs to know him, I will tell you how you may know him yet ; Think of every thing that is virtuous, love- ly, and of good Report ; abltraft in your Minds all the amiable and defirable Quali- ties of a juft and good Man, like the Rays of Light collected into a Point, and fhining with the greater Luftre. Think of every thing that is apt to captivate the Affe&ions, and to get irrefiftibly the Dominion of every Heart: In fhort, think of every thing that is good, and that was he. Thus have I given you, tho' very im- perfedly, the Character of this extraordi- nary Peribn, and fhewn you with how much Luftre he ftiined in every Part of Life, with how much Honour he filled every Station of it. Some Acknowledgment indeed was paid to his Merit when he was advanced to a Dignity in the Church; and tho* SERMONS on tho' he was not at all fond of Honour and Greatnefs, yet every one was convinced that he deferred much greater Things, and that he would have done Honour to the higheft Station of Life in which he could poflibly be placed. And I believe by this time you are fatisfied that he hzs fought a good Fight* in overcoming the World by a happy and heavenly Temper, and that he has finijbed his Courfe in all the Capacities of a good Chriftian and a Divine, and that he keft the Faith pure and entire. For he never handled the Word of God deceitfully, nor of Men fought he Glory. And you may be alfo certain, that henceforth there is laid up for him a Crown of Right eoufnefs, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, jhatt give him, as a Reward for all his Labours. I fee I need not ask your Tears, Sorrow hath filled your Heart, and fad Affliction hangs upon your Countenances, like the Believers, who at St. Taul's Departure from them, weft bitterly, Borrowing tnoft of all, that they foould fee his Face no more. But I forbear to open that Stream of Affliction that flows fo freely of itfclf. And now what fhall I fay to comfort you ? You have nothing left to do now, I think, but to confider which Way you may beft do Ho- nour various SUBJECTS. 307 nour to his Memory; which, I think, will SHRM. be in following his Example, and making XIV. that glorious Chara&er, which I have been imperfectly defcribing, fhine forth in every Aftion of your Lives. You, who loved him (and who, that knew him, did not ?) ihould make it ap- pear by your endeavouring to be like him- You, who were his Flock, would do well to obferve all the good Initrudions he gave you. Let all his good and feafonable Ad- monitions fink deep into your Hearts ; and remember the Words which he fpake unto you while he was yet with you. And let us all endeavour to improve fuch Providen- ces as thele to our Advantage : Let it ferve to fhevv us, that neither Wifdom nor Gocd- nefs can keep a Man from the Grave, nor cut off the Entail of Death. There is no Truft to be put even in the Lives of Kings, nor any Confidence in Princes, but all muft fooner or later lhake off this earthly Taber- nacle : And then to whom fhall we fly for Succour but to God, who is both able and willing to prepare a Place of Happinefs for all fuch as put their Truft in him ; and to grant, that after we have parTed through all the Changes and Chances of this mortal Life, and that when this Comiflion hath f*t :joS SERMONS on SERM. fut on Incorniphn, and this Mortal bath XIV. f tt f O n Immortality , we may all meet to- gether in Heaven, and enjoy the unfpeak- able Pleafures of that celeftial Paradife ? Till which happy Time, adieu thou good and pious Man. ! adieu thou lovely Difpen- ier of God's Word ! adieu thou faithful Friend ! the Delight of Men, and the highly favour'd of God ! Thou art gone to hap- pier Climes, to tafte of the delightful Rivers of Pleafure, while we are left behind to- laraent thy Abfence from us. We have thy Memory, and we give theeback our Tears. Thy Example fhall always keep thee alive in our Hearts, and nothing ftiall blot out thy delightful Image there ; but, in fpite of Death, thou irialt ftill live in our Affec- tions, -till by walking in the pleafant Path \vhich thou halt marked out to us, we come at laft to behold the Face of thee and thy God in the Kingdom of Heaven, and join, with thee in finging Hallelujahs to him that Jlrteth of on the Throne^ and to the Lamb for ever and ever, Amen. SERMON XV. ACTS viii. fart of the giy? Ferfc. And he faid^ How can I, except f&mt Man Jlould guide met >HESE are the Words of a Man SERM. . of great Authority, under Can- X V. dace Queen of the Ethiopians, : who had the Charge of all her Treasure, and had come to Je- Tufalem to worjhip; and the Occafion of fhem was this : As he was returning and fitting in his Chariot, he read Ifaias the Trophet. Then Thilif, who had been di- rected by the Angel .of the Lord to go to- wards the South, unto the Way that goeth down from Jerufalem unto Gaza, was ordered by the Spirit to go near and join himfeLf to the Chariot: Accordingly he ran thither to him, and heard him read the ^Prophet Ifaias, and faid, Underftandeft thou what thou readeft Y And he f aid, How lan-I, ex~ 2 ceft 310 S E R M o NS on S E R M. cept fome Man Jbould guide me ? A modeft XV. Anfwer, and very becoming an honeft Mind ' difpos'd to find out the Truth, however unlike the Behaviour of our modern Infi- dels, who think themfelves above Inftruc- tion, as being, in their own Opinion atleaft, \viier than their Teachers. In my following Difcourfe, I propofe to fhew, i. The Infufficiency of private Judg- ment in Matters of Religion. 2. The Ne- ceffity of a teachable Difpofltion, from the Example of the Perlbn concerned in the Text, and a proper Submiffion to the Judg-^ ment of others. i. By private Judgment, I mean the Right which fome claim of judging for themfelves, exclufive of all foreign Aid and Affiftance whatibever. But this, if taken in a ftrift Senfe > is not only inefficient, but alfo impoffible; for no Bimg y but fuch as wants no Aillftance of any kind, /. e. a Being infinitely perfeci, is capable of doing this, becaule fo much Perfection as any Being wants, fo much Supply it muft of coude Hand in need of to make up that Deficiency. God alone is then able to judge abiblutely for himlelf, becaufe he alone en- joys abfolute Perfe&idn, and nothing can ^offibly be fuppos'd wanting to hinder him fro-n various SUBJECTS. from doing it ; Ib that Man, whatever Claim SERM. he may make to this Privilege, has no man- XV. ner of Pretenlion to it - y he may with equal Modefty and Juftice lay Claim to infinite Perfection. But fmce there are fome who have exalted Man to this high Station, let us fee how they fupport him in it. Let us view this imperfect Creature, thus ad- orn' d with the Ornaments of the Deity, a filly Mortal cloath'd with Omnipotence, a Worm feated in the Throne of God. Well then, now he is invefted with thefe abfolute Perfections, is he become all-fufficient ? Is he in the Poffeffion of all Knowledge and Truth ? No, his Knowledge is very fmall, eonfinM within a narrow Circle, and, even when it is at the higheft Pitch, fervcs cnly to make him the more fenfible of his Igno- rance. He is not thoroughly acquainted with the Nature of any one Thing in the -Univerie; he knows little of himfeJf, and lefs of the Being above him ; and even as to that fmall Matter he does know, he is indebted to a Multitude of People for it, fmall as it is, who are contributing to the little Stock. Of one he gets the Know- ledge of one Thing, of another another, by which means there is fomething ftill con- tributing to make an Addition to his own Difcove* $i^ SERMONS on SERM. Difcoveries. From the Phyiician, the Law- yer, the Artift, the Husbandman, he is fm- nifh'd \vith feveral good Rules and Obfer- vations concerning the Management of his Health, the Security of his Eftate, and ma- ny other Neceflaries and Conveniencies of Life, which have been handed down from one to another, with perhaps fome fmall Im- provements, and they again from others be- fore them, and fo on : For the firft Begin- nings of Knowledge are but fmall ; by De- grees, as they have the Advantage of a Mul- titude of other Underftandings from Time to Time, they grow larger, till at laft they fife into Arts and Sciences. This is the Way that Syftems of Know- ledge of any kind whatibever are form'd, not by the Labour or Ingenuity of one Man, but by the Study of Thoufands, and the Induftry of Ages; for no Man can any more afcribe this Knowledge to himfel than a Part can call itfelf the Whole. The Cafe is this ; Things are infinite, and are to be feen in infinite Views, and Men by the different Pofitions of their Underftandings are differently fituated towards them, by which aieans, tho' they lee Things alike in general, yet, with refpecl to Particulars, they fee them with lomp Difference, the Union of various SUBJECTS. 313 of all which Differences makes the general S E R M* Judgment, or the public Underftanding , fo that no one can have any more than a cer- tain proportionate View according as he Hands to Things, and this he muft have- for the moft inconfiderable Man upon Earth has his Point of View, as he ftands to Things, and may yield Inftru&ion of one kind or another to the wifeft. Now the Gale being fo, that the Knowledge which a Man has, is not the natural Production of the Soil, but a Collection from Abroad en- grafted upon it, 'tis a pleaiant Sort of Va- nity, when this becomes blended and ificor- porated with his own, to fee a Man plume himfelf upon it, and place it to his own Account, as if it really was Ib. Thus when a Man has got into his Po feffion a certain Degree of Knowledge, tho' it be indeed the Work of Ages to acquire, he cries out prefently with David, tho' in another Senfe, / am w/fer than the ^ged y I have more Underftanding than my Teach- ers-, whereas, were he ftripp'd of his imagi- nary Superiority, and deprived of every foreign Affiftance, he would have then lefs Underftanding than the Foolifti. The Know*, ledge that is of a Man's own Growth, ab- Itraded from what he gets from the reft of the g i^ S E R MO N s on SERM. the World, would make but an inconfide- XV. rablc Figure, juft as the Proportion of One to f many Thoufands. And then as to Religion, 'tis juft the lame there as in civil Life ; the Knowledge a Man has of that, over and above what comes by Infpiration from the Spirit of God, comes the fame Way, by the Affiftance of others. For how fhould we have known any Thing of Reli- gion at all, if it was not for a Communica- tion of Thoughts and Reafons one with an- other about it ? Indeed, how mould we know fb much as that there is a God ? 'Tis true, na- tural Realbn would help us to this Difcovery, and would alfo lead us further to this, That he muft be worfhipp'd, and fb on to fbme Scheme of Religion : I lay, natural Reafbn will do this; but what then? This natural Reafon is not the Realbn of an individual Perfbn but the Reafon of Mankind, not that That would ever have made any great Progrefs in this Difcovery. For as much as it wanted Perfection, fb much- of courfe it would want to make it compleat; it could not therefore be a fufficient Foundation to reft upon, ibmething farther being ftill wanted to fup- ply this Deficiency, which Mankind was fenfible of; fome Revelation from God, that might fill up the Vacuity of human Rea- fon, various SUBJECTS. 315 Ion, and be commenfurate with the Hopes, SERM. Fears and Defires of every Faculty of Man. . Accordingly, they always pretended to ibme Revelation, and whether their Pretenfions were juit or not, there was always a Foun- dation for them, as well from the Imper- fection of human Reafon, as from the Care and Superintendance which the Creator might be ftfppos'd to have over his Creatures, and from the Benevolence of his Nature, which the Excellency of their Nature might give them Hopes to confide in, whatever they might fear from his Jaftice. 'Tis no Wonder that this fhould be the Cafe, bd- caufe it is by no means an uncommon Thing among Chriftians to meet with Perlbns, who are for refblving all the Attributes of God into that of Goodnefs : And not only Sin- ners do this, who have nothing to hope from his Juftice, but even good Men themfelves, \vho have thought, tho' not aright, that the Goodnels of God had the Predominancy over the other Attributes. Indeed from his Dealings with Men, 'tis natural enough to think fb, but then there is no arguing from what happens in a fmall Part of Time in this Life, to what will be in Eternity, where it will be feen, that God is infinite every Way, and that Juftice will be done R r to 316 S E R M o N s on SER"M. to every Man, and every Action of Mas, XV. however they may efcape it here in this Life, through the Chance that belongs to Time. But to proceed, There was always I fay, a Foundation for a Revelation from God, to fupply the Defect of human Rea- fon, and People always pretended to one, and accordingly have ever~appointed an Or- der of Men to officiate in this divine Inter- courfe between God and Man, and to let afide their Time and Study to explain it to others. Now, 'tis monflrous to fuppofe, that the private Judgment of any one Man could be of fo much Signification, where this Revelation has been pretended, whe- ther that of the Jews , or this of the Chri- fiians, either to himfelf or to. others, as the united Judgment of a Body of Men, whole whole Bufinels it was (befides their being Men of equal Parts, for this muft be fup- pos'd, where we talk of Bodies of Men, and alfo the fuperior Affi-ftance they are juftly, efpecially in the Chri&an Religion, iuppos'd to have,) to lock into thefe Mat- ters, and Hand in a better Situation for it than any others can poffibly do. If private Judgment is not iufficient to carry a Man any great Lengths in civil Affairs ; if it will not kelp him to attain any Art or Science without various SUBJECTS. without the Afliftance of thole that made fuch a particular Art, their Study (and '. he can only know his Proportion as he Hands to it) much-lels can it do any great Matter in Religion ; for we ftand in no bet- ter a Situation in this Cafe, than in the other, nor in Ib good a one, becaufe thole who are appointed for Guides in thefe Affairs, be- fides, that this is their Belief and Employ- ment, are luppos'd by the Chriftian Scheme to have a double Portion of the Spirit to alfift them. And indeed, whoever confiders the Importance of the Chriftian Religion, together with the Difficulties that muft of courle attend the Study of it, partly from the Language in which it was written, which 'has for many Years become a dead one, and partly from the Nature of the Writings themfelves from particular Cuftoms and Cir- cumftances of thole Times, Ib that a com- petent Skill in thole Things is requifite, in order to the better underftanding them, and explaining them to others, will fee the great Realbn and Neceffity that a Set of Men mould be employed about thele Things, and the Neceffity likewile of their being affifted by the Spirit of God. 'Tis true, the Precepts of Chriftianity are plain and eafy, and for the molt Part level to the meaneit Capaci- R r 2 ties, 3 1 8 S E R M o N s on SERM. ties, but then a good deal is not fo, an XV. that which is, would have been a dead Let- ter Itill, had they not been tranflated from the original Language for the ufe of ordi- nary People. And befides, were they, as to the whole, ever fo plain and ealy, yet the wifeft are fo fubjeft to the Infirmities of hu- man Nature that they want frequently to be reminded of them, or elle they would have but little effect, which alfo fhews the Ne- ceflity there is for an Order of Men to be let apart for that Purpole, which I come now, idly to, confider. It can be but of very little Signification, that there is this Provifion made for Man- kind, if they will not, like the Perfon in the Text, ihew a teachable Difpoiition. What Ufe can a Guide be of to one^who thinks he wants none, who is in his own Opinion alL fufficient ? To lay now-a-days, how can 1 underftand exceft fame Man teach me ? would pals among fome for nothing but Ban- ter and Grimace : The Language now is^ I will learn of none, I have a Right to act and think for mylelf j and no one has any Bulinefs to deprive me of it by any Autho- rity whatfoever, and to let himlelf up for my Inftru&or: But however this may pre- vail among Ibme lew conceited Men, and what- various SUBJECTS. whatever ill Opinions they may entertain of S E R M. others, and good ones of themfelves, yet it certainly argues a very degenerate State of Mind and Depravity, as refuting to fuffer the Motives of Reafon and Truth to have their due Influence upon us. For if it be a Truth for a Man to put Truft in his own Underftanding, is it not equally Ib to put Ibme degree of Truft and Confidence in ano- ther's ? And if it be, how can he be in a right State, when every Truth has not its due Influence upon it. Indeed if a Man was confcious, that he was infinitely wile, and was really fo, then it would be a Truth to give an abiblute Credit to his own Under- ftanding, becauie where no Knowledge is, by the Suppofition, wanting, there no Degree of Truft fhould be with-held from it ; i. e. if he were a God, he would have no Occafion to give any Underftanding Credit but his own, for the Truft we put in others, is on- ly to fupply the Deficiency we find in our ielves : But as he is but mortal Man with a limited Underftanding like his fellow Crea- tures, fo much Room there will be for a proper draw-back to this Truft, and an equal Occafion for placing a proper Degree of it in others ; for God has given abroad Truth to Mankind (and not confin'd it to one 31O S E R MO N S Ott SERM. one Man only (for no fingle Man can have XV. any more than a certain Proportion of it) *S*^* and efpecially to great Bodies and Socie- ties of Men for the better Eftablifliment of it in the World. It is right therefore to give them a proper Credit beyond a fingle Man j for if it is right to give Credit to a- nother as well as one's felf, it is right to give them more in- exad Proportion to their Number, their Abilities and Opportuni- ties of rinding out the Truth beyond our Selves. For tho* Number may feem to fbme of no great Signification in this Cafe, ab- Itraded from all other Confederations, Num- . ber and nothing elfe ; yet if we confider it with an Addition of Judgment and Under- v J O ihnding, they muft be of great Weight ; for if one is of any Signification, two is of dou- ble, three treble that Proportion, and ib on. Suppofe Men to be near upon a Par ; where they are not fo, an Allowance muft be made more or lefs in Proportion, but fome Addi- tional Weight in every Addition of Num- ber there muft be ftill. Indeed as long as we are Imperfect and fubjeci: to Infirmity, 'tis neceflary there mould be fome Supply for this ; and fb there is, for the Deficien- cies are fupplied by the Abilities of others, ,o according to the Differences of their Genius, various SUBJECTS. 311 Genius, Induftry, Situation f, will al- SERM. ways warrant a mutual Truft and Depend- XV. ence upon each other : Accordingly thi s will be always a Ground and Foundation for Humility and a teachable Difpofition ; and indeed there is no Way of arriving at Wifdom and Knowledge, but thro" the Gate of Humility. Pride and Conceit are the Paths that lead to infinite Srror and Confu- fion. For the lefs Truft we put in others, the lefs Benefit can we have from them ; and the lefs we make our Circle the Imaller will our Circle be ; and the ; more we ad- mire ourfelves, the lefs ihall we lee to ad- mire in others, 'till at laft we fancy our- felves all-fufficient. But there being no folid Foundation to fupport this imagi- nary Perfection, it commonly ends in infi- nite Doubts, Diffidence and Defpair. There is certainly nothing more amiable in the Sight of God or Man, than Humi- Jity and a Difpofition to hearken to In- ftruction and Advice. 'Tis fuch a true Di- rection of the Mind, that it gains the Loye of People at the fame Time that it gains Inftruction. And if, where there is Action, there is alfo neceflary Reaction, 'fis the beft Difpofition imaginable for Induction. For the good Opinion he entertains of others, operates 316" S E 11 M o N s on S E R M. convinc'd, faith has nothing to do, for XV. 'tisNonfcnfe to talk of Faith, when we ex- Demonstration. Indeed were we all , 'twould be right for all Applicati- on to be made to that Faculty, but fmce we are likewife compounded of Senie as well as Reafon, and have a Faith alib ari- ling out of it, and it was given us to fupply the Defeds of Reafon j where there is a pro- per Demand for it, 'tis unreaibnable not to comply with it. If it be ask'd how far we muftfubmit and give Credit : I anfvvcr as far as their Cha- racter requires, but to require the very Point is childifh. You may as well ask, where one Colour begins, and another ends in the Rainbow. Thefe are Points, tho' not to befix'd by any Rule, yet Nature knows where to find that out, and after all the Stir that fome make about thefe Things, every* one does more or lefs fubmit, and the bet- ter his Difpofttion is, the nearer he comes to this Point. The Child obeys his Parents, Governors and Matters, and, when he is grown up, fees the Reafon for fo doing, and enjoys the Benefit of it. The Man of Trade and Bu- finefs gives Credit, well knowing that Trade cannot fubfift without it, and the fame holds good likewile in all other Parts of Life. And now ihall every Thing have the benefit of Faith, but Religion ? what- ever Reaibn will juitify a Faith irr-anv one, will various- SUBJECTS. will conclude much more itrongly in favour of thofe Doctrines that are manifeftly reveal- XV. cd to us, and of confequence nu:it be the Standard of divine Truth. From what Iras been laid, it appears, that as they are De ; which the Line of human Region is notable to fathom, every mod eft Searcher after Truth fhould take in all ihofe Kcips and A rtiftances, which the Goodnefs of God has olfer'd, and every Man in Prudence mult accept of, for we are not, according to St. 'Paul, fujpcisni, of pr.r Selves ^ to think, any Thing of our felloes, ibas to make our pri- vate Judgment an infallible Guide in mat- ters of Religion, but on,-" Sufficiency is of God, who hath abundantly provided for our WeaknefTes and Wants. How prepo terous and abfurd is it then to dejfife Au- thority, or even to give up the general Judgment of Mankind- to our own Fancies and Opinions. Thole that will allow no- thing to be put in the Scale againft their Vanity and Prefumption, mult injufh'ce to their own Principles exped but little re^ gard to be paid to them, the jame ineaiure they w?it\ z'jilt be mca{ured io them a^a'm. What will be the Confequenee of fuch in- coherent Syltems cf Divinity, where every Man muft dictate, and judge as he pleafes, according to his own Humour and Fancy ? at this rate, every Thing that is ufeful and beneficial muft be given up, to make room for Gotffapwi and evsry evil Work. There 8^*2 is ?l8 S E R M O N S OH SERM. is no Intent to debar Men the ufe of ion in matters of Religion, as if they were inconfiftent to one another ; neither is there any Oceaiion, that the .one JLall be taken and the other left, they both come from the lame Fountain, derive their Being from the Father of Light, with whom is no Varia* hlenefsi wither Shadow of turning. 'Tis a commendable Employment, and as iuch, is recommended by the Example of the Be- reans, to fearch the Scriptures, to fee whe- ther the Things were fa as were reprefent- cd to them ; and next to them, are thofs able Miniflcrs of the new 'Teftameht, who without fome Proof, ought not to be fufpecled of a Defign to impoie upon o~ ther People. Our Reafon is fcanty, and when we lean too much upon it, 'tis apt to deceive us, and as we have other Guides to come into our Affiftance,can we in prudence turn our Backs upon 'them, or be fo un- grateful as to fay, I have n